Moving Forward
by twiknham
Summary: SPOILER ALERT! Set after the end of the series. Years after InuYasha and Kagome’s disappearance, Sesshoumaru sees a white-haired boy holding his mother’s hand. But wait, if that’s not Kagome, where is she?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

"Humph…Some things were not meant to be seen in public."

The man sitting behind a folder of papers briefly looked up at his retainer. "Jacque, I have told you a million times, we had gay couples in the Sengoku Jidai. They are just a little less shy now." He started to turn back to his work when his assistant grabbed his arm suddenly.

"NO! That!" He pointed a crooked finger tipped with a sharp nail at something outside the window.

Sesshoumaru looked in that direction and froze. Standing on the corner of the street was a woman so large with child that she had to be in labor, holding a bag of groceries in one arm and the hand of a small boy with silver hair with the other hand. _How long has it been since I have seen another person with hair that color?_ He blinked and took a closer look. The boy looked exactly like his brother, minus the dog-ears. However, the woman was not Kagome. Making an impromptu decision, Sesshoumaru had his driver pull over in front of the woman.

Tinka was not paying any attention when a black limo pulled up in front of where she was standing. In fact, she didn't even realize the door had opened until Taimo pulled on her hand and asked her if they could get in. "Huh?" She blinked and focused on the event happening in front of her. There was a short scrabbly man holding open the backdoor of a limo while a tall god-like creature stepped out. She froze as he walked up to her and bent down to carefully rub his hand on the head of her small son. She pulled Taimo behind her. "Leave him alone! He's not for sale!"

Sesshoumaru was shocked. _For sale?!?_ "I am not interested in buying your child. I was checking his lineage."

"What?" Immediately she realized the man still kneeling at her feet had the same type of hair as her son. "Do I know you?"

He chuckled, but it was not a happy sound. "No, and I do not know you either." The only way she knew he was human and not a figment of her imagination was that his right knee popped as he stood. Since he did not acknowledge his body's betrayal of his imperfection, she didn't either. He started to hold out his hand to shake hers, but realized that she did not have a free one. "My name is Seth." He bowed his head slightly in greeting. "If you do not mind my nosiness, who is that child's father?"

"My husband, and I do mind."

Sesshoumaru had to forcibly stop himself from rolling his eyes. "I was not implying anything else. Your husband's name please. I have many cousins and am curious as to which one is your husband."_ One little lie will not hurt._

"Yasha Inutai." Her bag was getting heavy and Taimo was pulling on her arm; but she was afraid if she moved, the man in front of her would do something hurtful.

_InuYasha. I am surprised._ He thought for a moment. "Can I give you and your son a lift home? You cannot possibly live far from here, especially considering…"

"Considering what? What are you implying?" Tinka was beginning to get very upset with this strange man.

"You are very pregnant, and you are walking. You would not have walked far today." He noticed she was offended by his statement. "I mean no disrespect, it is the truth."

"I'm sure you're as honest as the day is long, but I do not trust you." Noticing the cross sign was lit, she pulled on Taimo's arm and quickly walked around the limo and across the street. Although she was in discomfort walking this quickly, she wanted to be away from the stranger called Seth.

He chuckled quietly behind her. "Your husband never trusted me either. If he had, his life would have been easier."

"Or shorter" Jacque replied, earning him a smart bop on the head. "Ow, aren't we past the abusive phase of our relationship?"

Sesshoumaru was back in the car with the door shut before he looked at the crooked little man. "Jaken, you will NEVER get past the abuse phase if you cannot learn to keep your thoughts to yourself." He picked up his phone and in less than five minutes knew where his brother now lived.

ssssssss

Tinka was fixing dinner when the phone rang. Taimo ran over to get it, but a strong male hand picked it up first. "Inutai Residence."

"Hello InuYasha."

Tinka happened to glace up at her husband and dropped the knife at the look in his eyes. Usually they were a soft golden brown, but right now they were bright yellow. "Are you okay?"

He nodded and took the phone outside to talk. As he closed the door on his wife's fragrant cooking, he turned his attention back to the problem at hand. "This is an unexpected, and unpleasant, phone call. How long has it been since the last time we exchanged words?"

"Over five hundred years, as you well know." Sesshoumaru uncharacteristically put his feet on his desk, turning in his chair to look out of his window at his view of Tokyo.

"To what do I owe this displeasure?"

"Still as painfully uncouth as ever. What happened to the love of your life?"

"She's in the kitchen fixing dinner."

Sesshoumaru suddenly sat up straight, his voice dropping in key. "No, the other one."

"Kagome? Feh, she went off to college and left me. I fell out of love with her years ago." He had very fond memories of a teenager in a green and white school uniform. His brother would never be able to understand the complexity of distance on a relationship.

"So you threw her away like yesterday's fish?"

"No. We both learned that our affections were based on drama and danger. When we were finally rid of Naraku and the Shikon no Tama had been completed, we found there was no common ground. Kagome decided to leave Tokyo and go overseas to attend college as a test to herself to determine if her feelings would change. She wrote me several months later and said that she now saw what I'd said months earlier, we'd grown apart and she suspected that we could not fix the rift." He made a face at his son, who was peering through the window at him, pointing to the table. "My son has just informed me that it's dinner time, I need to go. Is there anything else you need?"

"I need to know if your son is human or not."

"I'm full human, that was part of the condition of my wish; so he has no secret powers. Nor will my newest child when she is born." He winked at his wife who was still looking at him with concern. "I need to go, I don't ever see us being close, please do not bother me again."

"The world is bigger, Horatio."

"What?"

"I would like to get to know the family of my only remaining relative, but if you would rather I did not, I will forever break this tie."

InuYasha thought for a moment. "Do not bother me again. I'll search you out if I decide to reacquaint myself with you."

"Just remember that time is fleeting for a human, you only have a couple of decades left." Sesshoumaru hung up the phone and stared off into the distance. _And I am left with centuries._

**A/N:** I know, I fall off the face of the earth and reappear with a Sesshoumaru/Kagome Fic. Sorry, but that's what the muse demanded this go around. Hope everyone enjoys. -TK


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

"" _ speech_

'' _ thought has italics)_

_---------_

Kagome was working on a genome character string when her phone rang. Without thinking, she used her VR gloves to click 'answer phone' on the screen of her headset. "Hello, Dr. Higurashi speaking."

"Hello, my name is Seth Shujin. I own a small company in Tokyo that specializes in computer systems. I noticed in our records that you have recently purchased a VR visualization system, model XPR345796."

She quickly clicked the top tabs on her screen to verify. "Um, yes, that's correct."

"Did you receive the letter about a recall or mandatory replacement of a certain component that continues to fail?"

"Um, no." She could hear clicking on the other end. "Can I ask a question?"

"Yes." The deep voice crawled into a tender spot in her head and made itself comfortable.

"Why is the owner of a company as big as yours calling customers personally?"

"There are only a handful of people who have ordered this system, it is extremely new. I wanted to personally talk with each of them to explain that the part can be replaced easily without causing major downtime for you." She heard clicking again. "I see here that you are using our system for a video-game house, that does seem to be the main market."

"A video game house?" She was offended. "I most certainly am not!"

"Is it for personal reasons then?"

"Professional. I'm using it to work with." She could feel her blood pressure rising, much like when she used to hunt shards with InuYasha. "What kind of person do you think I am?"

Sesshoumaru allowed himself an infinitesimal grin. He had finally found her. "I sincerely apologize. May I send someone out to replace the defective part?"

"Yes, but they need to be trustworthy. I work in a research facility and the things I deal with are very secretive."

"Of course. If you would rather not have anyone in your facility, this person can meet you in the lobby. We only need to replace the headset visor."

She sighed in relief. "That would be fine." When he asked her address, she gave it to him and agreed to meet his technician tomorrow at 10am.

Sesshoumaru hung up the phone, satisfied that his six months worth of private investigation bills had finally resulted in a positive match.

ssssss

At 9:45 the next morning, Kagome finished packing up her VR headset and entered the elevator to head up to the main lobby. The equipment in her lab needed to be kept cool to perform properly, so her boss had decided to move her into the basement, where the cooler temperature of being underground would help save on the bills. Now, in order to see sunlight, she had to ascend three stories. She once joked with a colleague that she was so far underground that vampires were jealous. As a result, her nickname in the building became "The Immortal."

Sesshoumaru had arrived shortly before 9:30 and was sitting in the lobby. Since he had nothing but time, he was waiting until 10am to have her paged. However, a man of his physical appearance garnered attention whether he wanted it or not. Trying to ignore the stench of females becoming aroused by looking at him, he sat in a leather chair, one leg crossed over the other, trying to act as feminine as possible. Unfortunately, it not only did not make him less interesting to the females, it also attracted another type of attention. He was about to throw in the towel and admit these modern humans were more voracious than the nekoyoukai of the feudal era when a small quiet woman walked up to him.

"Excuse me, but can I help you?" She looked terrified to be talking to him, and when she glanced over her shoulder, he noticed a suited man pointing that she was to take care of the distraction without delay. Obviously, _he_ was the distraction. He smiled, trying to appear innocuous, but it only caused her fear to spike.

Deciding to step in before the janitor had to clean a puddle off the floor, he stood and towered over her. "Yes, I am here to see Higurashi Kagome." He held up a box. "Her computer has a defective component and I am here to replace it."

Ami visibly sighed in relief. She turned to her boss and yelled. "He's here to see the Immortal."

'_The Immortal? I thought the miko was a human. Interesting.'_ He sat back down and waited. He had told someone why he was here, his obligation was complete.

When the elevator doors opened, Kagome was accosted by a gaggle of nosy women. "Who is he? Why is he here? How long have you been dating? How good is he in bed? Can I have him? Is he gay?" Kagome finally put her fingers between her teeth and whistled. The bevy silenced immediately.

"What the HELL are you talking about?" Slowly everyone parted and Kagome got a good look at the man standing in the lobby looking at her. "Wow." She shook her head. "I mean, he's probably the computer tech who is supposed to replace my headset." Kagome held up a thick black case.

The women grumbled about how it was a shame that someone that sexy was a nerd, and left. "Boring Kagome, we should have realized that a man that gorgeous wouldn't be here voluntarily."

'_Wouldn't be here voluntarily…I'm not THAT ugly.'_ Suddenly memories of a certain Hanyou rejecting her for a prettier woman ran through her head._ 'Maybe I am.'_

Sesshoumaru heard what the bitches said and saw how the little miko reacted. Feeling irritated that five hundred years had brought no higher evolution to the cattiness of females he watched as she slumped and headed his direction, dejection visible in every fiber of her existence. One thing was transparent though, she was merely a human. He did not know what she was trying to pull, but she was NOT immortal.

When Kagome reached the tall man standing in the lobby, she thrust her box at him. "Here. Now, let me have mine so I can descend back into Hell."

He blinked. "What?" She looked at him, in the face. It was a nice change. Sesshoumaru could smell no arousal and was irritated at the way he instinctively felt challenged by that.

"You know, like Hades, Pluto, Osiris. I work underground, everyone around here calls my lab 'Hell.'" When he didn't respond, she set her case at his feet. Then she held her hand out for the replacement case, wondering why he wasn't handing it over. "Do you mind?" She wiggled her fingers.

He reached out and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, I am Seth Shujin." Recognition sparked in her eyes.

"You came yourself? I thought you'd just send a lackey." She tilted her head, her black hair brushing over her left shoulder. "I thought your company was a fairly large corporation. However, if you have enough time to personally visit your customers, I guess you must be bored."

He slid his hands in his pockets. "I have all the time in the world." He looked away for an instant. "In fact, since I have all the time in the world, why do you not show me what you are doing with my machine."

Kagome reached down and picked up the replacement headset. "Sorry, but you don't have a security clearance." She turned. "Have a nice day and thanks for the replacement."

Sesshoumaru watched her walk off, irritation beginning to boil under his skin. '_She just turned and gave this Sesshoumaru the cold shoulder. That is MY job to turn and walk away.'_

The elevator doors opened and Kagome stepped in. When she turned around to punch the button to her floor, she looked up into flashing yellow eyes. Panicking, she pressed the 'door close' button and held it until her view of his white hair and piercing gaze were cut off by the doors. In that instant, '_he looked just like Sesshoumaru.'_ A shiver walked its way up her back and she chuckled. "Silly girl, if that demon was still alive, there is NO way he would have gone to all the trouble to act as a courier just to see me." When the doors opened to the lab, she ignored the curious looks and walked back to her computer.

As she opened the case, a small piece of paper fell out. Picking it up, she flipped it over and read it out loud. "I know you of old. Whether you are ready or not, we need to talk. –S. Taisho" Shaking, she put the paper on her desk and fell into her chair, staring into space._ 'It WAS him.'_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

"" _ speech_

'' _ thought has italics)_

_---------_

Kagome deliberately worked late, then wished she hadn't when she realized she was the last person in the building. Scared of who she'd see when the elevator doors opened, she took the stairs, and worried the entire way up three flights that he'd be waiting at the top of the stairs. "What I wouldn't give for a purification arrow right now."

As she opened the door and peeked her head out, she sighed in relief and chuckled to herself at her active imagination. '_A big important man like Sesshoumaru would have better things to do than to wait on me for…' _she looked at her watch, '_ten hours.'_ Waving to the night guard, she grabbed her keys and opened the door.

There was a black limo sitting in front of the doors. Startled, she stepped back inside and looked at Lonnie, the guard.

He shrugged his shoulders. "The driver said he was from the Marussho Corporation and was here for you." He leaned forward over the desk. "My daughter works for Marussho, it's a very large company. Are you going to work for them?"

Small sweat drops were breaking out on her forehead. "No, but I know the owner." She sighed. "Might as well find out what he wants."

Seeing her distress, the guard stood. "Do you want security? Is he going to harm you?" Lonnie had worked with Kagome for several years. He liked her and didn't want to see anything happen to her.

She smiled, laughing lightly. "Of course not. If he'd wanted to hurt me, he would have done it a LONG time ago. He just brings back memories I'd rather not revisit." Kagome waved and headed out the door, stopping and allowing the driver to walk around and open the door. It closed behind her before her eyes could get adjusted to the dim interior.

"I figured you had gone back inside to hide from me." Sesshoumaru put down the paperwork he was doing and leaned forward, grabbing her chin with a strong hand. "Did you think I would eat you or something?" He gazed into her face, taking in the small changes that were part of growing older. "I quit eating humans long before my father slept with one…Pity. It would have made my life easier."

"Mine too." He let go of her chin, but not before he noticed the stab of pain that flickered in her eyes. "What do you want Sesshoumaru-sama

"Something you cannot provide me." He picked up his paperwork and started reading again. "And a familiar face to eat dinner across from."

"Can you even see that?" She couldn't think of anything else to say, his demand coming across as almost a request.

"This Sesshoumaru would not be reading if he could not see, would he?"

"Only Kings and other royal people refer to themselves in the third person. Have you ever thought about getting counseling for that problem? It's a sign that you spend too much time talking to yourself."

He snapped the papers down and glared at her. "I AM royalty."

"Lah, dee, dah." She grumbled something under her breath about schizophrenia.

"And I DO NOT have a second personality…" he quieted down a bit. "I do not socialize."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Nothing has changed I see."

Sesshoumaru realized that his office work would have to wait. At least she was not boring. "I no longer kill people, unless they really piss me off." He gave her a speaking look.

She just notched her chin higher and glared back. "So, why don't you socialize, big bad wolf?"

He growled. "I am NOT a wolf. They are uncivilized. I am an Inu, or have you forgotten?"

"I've not forgotten anything, and you're evading my question." Kagome watched as his eyes took on a glaze that was a good sign he had been swallowed up by memories. Startled at this uncharacteristic behavior, she reached across and touched his knee, startling him into snatching her wrist and squeezing. "Ouch! Let go!"

"I do not socialize because everyone around me dies." He flung her hand back at her. "I am eating dinner with you tonight, that should be social enough for anyone."

"Oh Kami! Sumimasen, Sesshoumaru-domo." Kagome bowed her head in shame. She should remember that she wasn't the only person hurting in this world. Neither of them spoke until they stopped outside of a small restaurant.

"This place is owned by an old friend. You should find something you like on the menu." He opened the door himself and waited while she stepped out before closing it behind him. The vehicle had driven off before they started up the steps.

'Le Tres' was a small French-styled restaurant set in a small high-rent area of Tokyo. Even though it was only 8:30pm, there were very few people walking around the streets. When they stepped through the doors, Kagome realized that this was a reservations-only type establishment. Sesshoumaru did not even make it to the Maitre d' before they were being shown to a table and a waiter was unfolding a napkin and placing it in Kagome's lap.

She held her breath, trying not to smack the man's hands as he tucked the napkin under the table. The stone-faced man across from her acted as if the entire ceremony was beneath him. After the wine steward had left with their order and returned to perform the uncorking ceremony, Kagome leaned forward. "Don't you ever get tired of all the pretentious things you have done for you?"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow for her to continue while he swirled his glass of Syrah and inhaled the nutty fragrance. He nodded at the steward, accepting the wine. The man immediately bowed and left them to their privacy.

She sighed. "Never mind. It's obvious you get off on this."

He suddenly leaned forward, his deep voice caressing in its intensity. "For your information, this Sesshoumaru does not _get off_. These _pretentious_ establishments take pride in their service. It may take longer for my food to arrive at this place; but at my age, I have time to wait." He sat back and took a small drink of wine. "Could use another hundred years; but it has a good flavor, try it." He waved towards her glass and she picked it up.

Taking a sip, Kagome wrinkled her nose before setting it back down.

"You have not given the wine time to warm and release its fragrance." He grabbed her hand, startling her. Opening her palm, he wrapped her fingers around the bottom of the globe of her glass. "Red wines require heat to make them bloom, much like a fine Japanese woman. Blondes must stay chilled, covered in ice and shiny things, and then discarded once they lose flavor. But a good dark must be allowed to breath and than warmed gently in order for it to give off the best flavor."

Kagome was sure her face was glowing, and she thanked the kami that she was sitting in a dark French restaurant instead of a highly lighted fast food joint. "Thank you for that discourse on…wine. I'll remember not to refrigerate my reds and to shower my whites with glitter before opening."

He deigned not to respond and Kagome refused to let it intimidate her this time. She'd survived Naraku and…this man, five hundred years ago. Surely she could be unintimidatable this one time.

Just as the silence became intense, a short man walked up to the table and cleared his throat. "Ma Cherie, what a pleasure to see you tonight!" He turned to Kagome and grabbed her hand, kissing it gently before smiling into her eyes. She felt distinctly uncomfortable and knew her miko powers were gathering around her.

A quiet "Let go Franc" came from the other side of the table. Franc quickly let go and backed up a step, looking at the Western Lord with a quizzical eye.

Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome. "Ms. Higurashi, please meet Franc Jillian. Franc, please meet Ms. Higurashi."

Franc bowed deeply. "My pleasure." He knew he'd just brushed against a very powerful soul and had a thousand questions; but he knew he would receive no answers from the tall demon tonight.

Kagome nodded back, not daring to put words to the thoughts running through her mind. '_He's a Youkai, I thought they were all extinct. But, if Sesshoumaru is here, there must be others.'_ Franc started talking to Sesshoumaru in French, and Kagome was only able to understand enough to realize they were discussing food. When Franc left, Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru. "Did you just order for me?"

He nodded. Waiting until the nerves in the room had calmed back down and the demons had gone back to minding their own business, Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome again. "No one in here is going to harm you. When your powers flare up, they attract too much attention. As long as you are in my presence, you have my guarantee that no harm will come to you."

"Physical harm." He blinked. "No PHYSICAL harm will come to me. You cannot protect my heart."

He nodded in agreement. "Correct. And that is not a task I am willing to undertake."

"So, it's just sex then?" Kagome suddenly felt very cold.

Sesshoumaru blinked, then threw back his head and laughed, causing everyone in the restaurant to turn and stare. The three demons the restaurant was named after were standing slack-jawed. In the four hundred years they'd known Sesshoumaru, none of them had even seen him crack a smile, but yet this woman had him laughing. Suddenly he stopped and stared at her. "I had not looked at you that way, but if you insist…" He snapped his fingers and Franc came over. "Check."

Kagome grabbed his arm. "Wait!"

Sesshoumaru looked at Franc and shook his head slightly. Franc left. Kagome waited on the edge of her seat until their meal arrived, then she realized the man across from her had been teasing her.

"That wasn't very funny." She really wanted to walk out, but realized she didn't have the first idea how to get home.

Sesshoumaru picked up his glass of wine again. "Maybe not for you." He cut into his veal and took a bite, closing his eyes to enjoy the full extent of the meat without any distractions. "The veal is superb tonight." He nodded at her plate. "You really should at least try it."

Kagome tried the veal and agreed that it was very good. After her nerves had calmed down from Sesshoumaru's idea of a joke, she enjoyed the rest of the meal. They didn't talk much, Kagome had figured out that Sesshoumaru was going to take whatever she said the exact opposite of what she meant, and she was too tired to play.

As they drove up to her car in the empty parking lot, Sesshoumaru turned to face her. "Would you be willing to go out and eat with me again sometime?"

"Why?" It was killing her to not know.

"Because you get hungry, and I am buying."

"No, why me? Why do you want to spend time with me?" She gazed at him without blinking.

"Because we have a history." He looked back, equally unblinking.

"Yes, you tried to kill me multiple times, five hundred years ago."

"True, but I never succeeded. That means you are worthy by association." He turned to look out the window. "Besides, you are better to look at than Jaken, and my only living relation wants nothing to do with me."

Kagome looked at the carpet. "I'm sorry."

"Do not be."

"Some time, when you feel comfortable, will you tell me why you're willing to be around me when you couldn't stand humans the last time we saw each other?"

Sesshoumaru opened the door and ushered her out. "Maybe, I give no promises." He walked her to her car to make sure it was safe. "I have kept my word, no physical harm has befallen you. Goodnight." Turning, he walked back to his limo, that same indifferent saunter he'd had so long ago.

"Goodnight" She whispered back before opening her door and cranking the engine, watching his vehicle recede in the distance as she drove away.

Once Kagome's car was gone from view, Sesshoumaru tapped the glass of the limo. It lowered and a young man responded. "Yess sssir?"

"Follow at a discrete distance, I wish to know where she lives." Michael, a snake Hanyou, pulled out of the lot and followed until Kagome pulled into a parking garage attached to a middle-class apartment building.

"Ssir…" Michael had reduced his hiss down to minimal, but he knew he had a long way to go. His boss never said anything, but occasionally he could see a minute tightening of the jaw. "If I may shpeak…" When his boss nodded, he continued. "I liked her. She's nothing like the otherss."

Sesshoumaru looked out the window in silence, the sodium lights flashing off his thoughtful visage. "No, she is definitely one of a kind."

**A/N:** You're getting this one a day early because tomorrow is graduation and I will not have time to post.

Please enjoy, talk to you again next Monday. -TK


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

Over the next several months, Sesshoumaru and Kagome were seen together enough to raise a few eyebrows. Kagome didn't think much about it until she went to visit her mother. While she was there, her mother brought out a newspaper in which she was pictured next to the tall businessman. It was obvious they were together.

"So, is there something you want to share with your mother?"

"InuYasha's brother owns the computer company I bought my VR system from and we occasionally eat together because we're comfortable with each other?" She reached over and gave her mother a hug.

"Mmm. I was hoping for some juicy gossip. That's rather boring dear, can't you spice it up a little?" Her mother looked so confounded by the lack of dirt that Kagome only laughed and hugged her tighter. "Only my daughter would find a man who happens to be sexy and rich, and not be interested in him."

"Mom, he's older than InuYasha. There MIGHT be a generation gap that we can't bridge."

"Kagome, you can do anything you set your mind to. But until you decide where he stands in your world, make sure you smile for the camera next time." She pointed at the picture. "You look like you're scowling."

Kagome remembered exactly when that photo was taken, they were arguing about the best method of killing snail demons. Although she never saw the photographer, she remembered their conversation. As always, Sesshoumaru thought Tokijin was the best method. Kagome was arguing that Miroku's wind tunnel was better because it removed the slimy creature from the face of the planet, therefore eliminating messy cleanup.

They had argued both sides quite vehemently. One bystander had stepped in to add his opinion, believing they were discussing a role-playing game. She grabbed Sesshoumaru's arm, dragging him into the restaurant before he could verbally attack the poor guy. She was scowling at him, telling him he needed to remember that most of the rest of the planet thought their experiences were only fiction, when the picture had been taken.

They continued to argue until their meal arrived. That is when Sesshoumaru brought up the point that the Houshi was dead, and therefore the wind tunnel could no longer be used. So Kagome pointed out that Sesshoumaru had broken Tokijin fighting Mouryoumaru and therefore it could no longer be used either. Pointing out Sesshoumaru's failure had made him so mad he refused to talk for the rest of the meal. Finally she said that the only method they could use today would be salt. He actually agreed and said that the two of them agreeing on anything warranted desert.

He dropped Kagome off at her apartment, having already told her he knew where she lived and he would be picking her up from there instead of from the office. She hated to admit that she liked his company, but it was nice to have someone in her life that understood what she'd experienced. Without asking him, she knew that was why he continued to keep her in his life. Her mother brought her back out of her trance.

"So, have you slept together yet?" Kagome just looked at her mother, a blush spreading wildly up her cheeks. "My grown daughter is blushing." Turning, she looked at Souta, who was standing in the door eavesdropping. "You should take a lesson from Kagome, Souta. You can tell by her face she's been a good girl."

He was chomping on a Popsicle, a hand going up to scratch the back of his neck. "I'm engaged, I don't understand the problem. Kagome, you're like thirty or something. If you don't get laid soon, you're going to be as dried up as one of grandfather's lizard paws."

Kagome glared at her brother, wishing she had something to throw at him. He was finishing up college and had gotten engaged to Hitomi last semester. Once he was out and into a stable job, they were going to get married. He winked at her before turning and running up the stairs. "Mom, five hundred years ago, he was trying to kill me. That might have been five hundred years for him, but it was only a couple of years for me. I'm NOT comfortable having intimate thoughts about the beast."

"But you are having them?" Kagome knew her mother worried about her, but there was nothing she could do.

The man she'd been in love with had left her for another woman, and it had taken everything she had to walk away and admit that although she hadn't lost him to a dead woman, she _had_ lost him to a younger one. Deciding it would at least make her mother happy, and not be a complete lie, she nodded her head. "Yes mom, I occasionally have intimate thoughts about Sesshoumaru."_ 'I won't tell her they usually involve me eviscerating him and leaving him to stew in his own acid, or ignoring him until he finally understands what it feels like. Maybe not the intimate thoughts mom means, but they are still classified as something we would do alone; therefore, intimate.'_

Ten minutes later, she was headed back across town. However, when she arrived at her apartment, there were police vehicles and officers everywhere. Parking her car on the street, she walked up to find out if she could pass to go home. That's when she learned her next-door neighbor had been cooking methamphetamines in his kitchen and it had exploded. Although most of her apartment was still intact, the entire area had been quarantined because of the hazardous materials.

"But that's my home." She looked at the officer, unable to see anything through his face shield.

"It WAS your home. I hope you have some place to stay, you will NOT be allowed back in this building. Those chemicals are highly toxic and unstable." He handed her a card. "Call this number in the morning and they'll help you take care of the insurance claims." He turned back to his job, leaving her to pick up the pieces of her life.

ssssss

When Sesshoumaru arrived home from work, Jaken was waiting for him. "Sir, I have a message for you from Tailou." Sesshoumaru nodded. "Ms. Higurashi's apartment has been declared a hazardous area by the National Policy Agency. All residents have been evacuated."

If looks could kill, Jaken would be one fried toad youkai. "What did I tell you about emergencies? This constitutes an emergency."

Jaken was trying hard not to grovel. Although Sesshoumaru had only killed and brought him back from the dead once, he didn't particularly relish the trip. "But Tailou said that she had gone to a restaurant and hadn't left yet."

Sesshoumaru headed down the hallway, stripping his tie off and unbuttoning his collar. "Get Tailou on the phone, I want to talk with him."

Ten minutes later, Sesshoumaru was back in the limo and headed out to take care of a woman whom he refused to admit had wormed her way into his thoughts.

When he arrived at the seedy place Kagome had holed up in, he told Michael to keep the limo running, they would be out in a moment. He did not want to give anyone an opportunity to use them as pickpocket practice. Opening the door, he was assailed by body odor and week-old beer. Kagome was sitting at the bar under a dim light, drinking some foul concoction.

Walking up to her, he picked her drink up and sniffed it. "What the HELL are you drinking?"

She blinked as she tried to focus. "Hello Fluffy. Fancy meeting you in a nice establishment such as this." She tried to grab her drink back, but he held it just above her head. "It's called 'Long Island Iced Tea.' The bartender recommended it." She frowned as she noticed an empty glass already sitting on the bar. "How did that get there?"

He raised an eyebrow at 'fluffy.' "I think it is time we left." He walked over to the bartender and took care of her tab.

The large man behind the bar smiled at him, showing that although some of his patrons might not, he took the time to visit a dentist. "I'm right glad you're here. I was worried about how the lady was going to get home."

Sesshoumaru did not reply, just left a few extra hundred yen as his way of appreciation (**A/N: **Tipping is frowned upon in Japan, so this would not have been considered a tip), and picked Kagome up since she could not walk. Literally shoveling her into the limo, he told Michael to head home.

Feeling quite stress-free and having lost count at two, maybe it was three drinks, Kagome curled up in Sesshoumaru's lap and went to sleep. She didn't think about the effects it could have on a certain individual. Nor did she think about the repercussions of being indebted to such an individual as him.

Arriving at his Tokyo mansion, he shifted her into his arms and waited for Michael to open his door. They barely made it out of the car before she started throwing up. His quick reflexes were the only things that saved him from being a victim. He flipped her over and held her while she threw up a gallon of foul smelling booze. His senses had already been assaulted by the bar and were now rioting at this latest onslaught.

Showing a strength of patience he had learned from taking care of Rin, he waited through two more bouts of puking. Sometime between the first and second, he had managed to get her upstairs into the master bath. At least over the toilet, he could flush the stench. Shaking his head at how low some people could sink, he wondered at how low that made him since he was doing this sober.

After the third bout, he got her cleaned up and managed to persuade a couple of crackers to stay down. Despite his retainer's protests, he picked Kagome up and carried her to his room. Laying her on the end of the bed, he arranged pillows to keep her confined so if she vomited again, she would not aspirate on it. Then he stripped her of her spoiled clothing and placed her in the bed, tucking the sheets securely around her to prevent her from rolling.

Once she was snuggled under his covers, he left to go work in his personal office. She was in no condition to fend for herself tonight. Let her sleep off her suffering and tomorrow they would figure out a path forward. Turning down the hall, he entered his home office, quietly closing the door so that any noise he made would not awaken the girl.

He spent the next two hours on the phone with the West. Texas was fourteen hours behind Tokyo, so 4am was a good time to conduct overseas business. After he finished his work, he headed to bed. His mind deep in the negotiations he was making to buy a competitor's firm, he stripped and climbed in bed. Having eschewed female companionship decades ago, he had already completely forgotten about the warm body he had placed under the covers hours earlier.

**A/N:** Thank you for finding the 'dollar' issue. I thought I had proofed those out. As for the drinking, I'm allergic to alcohol so I neither know how much a normal person can drink, nor did I go to any bars while in Japan. Thanks for the notes so that I could correct this. -TK


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

When Kagome woke up, she rolled over and wished she'd expire on the spot. There was a large naked man in the bed beside her, she was similarly clothed; and she had no recollection of what had transpired the night before. '_So Satan doesn't have a monopoly on torture huh?'_ Grabbing a very thin robe off the end of the bed, she walked to the big wooden doors at the end of the massive room. They made almost no noise as she pulled them open and exited. The man in the bed never noticed she left.

She didn't know what they'd done last night, but she KNEW she didn't want to face him in the bright light of the new day. Very vague recollections of long car rides and throwing up in his presence were wafting across her throbbing head. Not being very intelligent this morning after, she decided to run away.

Kagome was shocked by the size of the mansion she was in, and the obvious lack of staff. Walking mostly naked through a house that size should have drawn the attention of someone, but she never saw another being. After twenty minutes, she finally found a door that lead to the outside. Pushing open the rice paper shoji, she walked out into a beautifully manicured garden.

There was a Koi pond surrounded by flowering cherry trees and covered by an arched bridge, lily-pads in pink and white dotting the surface. Various shades of Japanese Maples decorated the lawn and a majestic ginko towered over the rest, reaching out each freshly be-leafed branch as if to shelter its siblings. There was also a twenty-foot stone wall fencing in the entire garden.

Frustrated that she'd not been able to find an escape from this mausoleum, Kagome stomped her foot once before heading to the closest wall. Looking around carefully to make sure there was no one to watch her climb in the very short robe, she put one hand in a crevice and found a semi-solid spot to put her left foot. _'__Never bothered me to run around the Feudal Era in a mini-skirt, wonder what's different. I'm not wearing underwear? Yup, that's it.'_ She was about half-way up the wall when a cold wet nose stuck itself into the place where her legs met her butt.

ssssss

Sesshoumaru jumped straight out of bed, completely disoriented. _'__I worked until about 5am, than I came in here and crawled in bed. Why…'_ His ruminations were cut short as another shrill scream rent the air. "I would recognize that scream anywhere." Not bothering to put clothes on, he jumped out the window and landed in the garden below.

Not sure what had caused Kagome to scream, Sesshoumaru quickly and silently approached his prey. When he came around the trunk of the ginko, he suddenly stopped and had to hold back an involuntary chuckle. Kagome was clinging to the rock wall with one hand while trying to keep a very persistent snout from sniffing her in the normal doggie manner. Whistling lightly between his teeth, he watched as Moufiri heeled and waited with his tongue lolling between his teeth. Slowly he approached the mostly petrified miko.

"Good morning Kagome." She jerked at his voice, losing that tentative hold she had on the wall. He did not even grunt as he caught her full weight. "Has anyone ever told you that you are not exactly as light as a feather?"

She hit him.

The state of his undress didn't register until she started wiggling to get free of his hold. That's when she realized her hands were placed against his bare chest, and her hip was rubbing against… "Let me go you hentai!!!" Suddenly she was on the ground, robe inelegantly splayed open, giving him as much of a view as he was giving her. Kagome pointed a shaking finger at him. "Why aren't you wearing any clothes?"

"I sleep naked."

She blushed. "Okay, but what does that have to do with the price of squid at the market?"

"Your screaming woke me out of deep sleep, I did not take time to dress before coming to rescue you." Her visage darkened perceptibly and he wondered what she was thinking. As she opened her mouth, he realized that he should have remembered she had never held her feelings in.

"I haven't needed rescuing in a very long time. Do not presume to think I want anyone to start." She stood up, dusting herself off, and proceeded to walk back to the house. He barely heard her next statement. "Especially from the Inutaisho clan."

He grabbed her arm. "Too late. I rescued you last night, or do you not remember?"

She froze, not wanting to think about anything. Starting to walk again, she was surprised when strong arms wrapped around her waist. Suddenly the two of them were flying through the air.

"I do not want anyone seeing you until I have had a chance to explain your place in my household." They touched down lightly in the bedroom.

The flying wasn't helping her queasy stomach, and she took her malady off on the nearest person. "And what exactly is my place, now that we've shared that…" she pointed at the bed.

Sesshoumaru was no idiot, he knew exactly what she was saying. "What do you think of this Sesshoumaru? Do you think he is the type of man who would take an unwilling woman? Or an unconscious one?" He folded his hands across his chest, ignoring her pointed look at his… Okay, so he walked over to the closet and pulled on a kimono, then glared at her again._ 'You are not as unaffected as you would like to think.'_

"We didn't?"

"We did not."

"What happened then?"

"You drank too much last night, passed out, and I brought you to my house since it was the most convenient."

"But why your bed?"

"This is a household owned by a demon, run by demons. It was the safest place." At her surprised look, he grumbled. "If I had known what your reaction would be, I would have left you to your own devices."

She folded her hands over the robe and glared at him. "But why was I naked?"

"Your clothing was soiled. I did you a favor by getting you out of it. Instead of flaming me, you should be thanking me."

She grumbled quietly to herself. There was no evidence he had done anything improper. Just because she didn't exactly trust him did not mean he was not honorable. It would have been dishonorable of him to take advantage of her. "Fine. Thank you for taking care of me. Now, where are my clothes so I can go back home?"

Sesshoumaru had forgotten how willful this woman was. He snorted. "Home. You no longer have a home." Her eyes were very wide. "The police evicted all of the tenants of your housing complex yesterday. One of your neighbors was making drugs and so the NPA came in and took control of the entire building. I found you belly-up to the bar, almost in shock for the way you were kicked out with just the clothes on your back."

Suddenly Kagome remembered her nightmare. "So I wasn't dreaming?" He shook his head. "My home is gone?" He nodded. She turned and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door. Sobs racked her body and Sesshoumaru listened cautiously from the door, unable to help her deal with the grief of losing her independence.

sssss

When Kagome finally calmed down and got cleaned up, she went downstairs to find the master of the house sitting behind a newspaper and occasionally picking up a cup of tea to sip. He absently waved to a chair, never coming out from behind the paper. "Have a seat Higurashi. My servants will bring you breakfast in a moment."

As if on cue, a stoic man walked into the room and set a plate down in front of her. There were two eggs sunny-side up, and a pile of a white substance. She waited for the man to finish, then picked up her fork and poked at the white stuff.

"Eggs and grits." Her silence was deafening and he sighed as he folded the paper and looked at her.

She was frowning at the grits. "Grits?" she looked at him.

"A dish from the southern part of the USA. They take corn and grind it into large particle sizes. Then they boil it, add salt and butter. I found I liked it while I was on a trip to Atlanta. I now keep it stocked."

She hesitantly took a small amount and tried it. "It's not rice."

"Obviously."

It wasn't bad, but she went ahead and ate her eggs first, dipping toast into the yolk. For some reason, losing everything she owned made her hungrier than normal. "So, is there any way I can get some of my belongings back?"

Sesshoumaru folded the paper and looked at her. "I will talk with Captain Pyusuke this afternoon. There was a fire and your apartment was affected. However, they should be able to retrieve some of your items." He picked up his tea cup and noticed it was empty, the man standing silently in the corner immediately came over and refilled it.

Kagome watched this entire exchange without saying a word. When the man had retreated back to his corner, she opened her mouth. "Has anyone ever told you that you are spoiled?"

"Mmm." He looked over the rim of his cup at her. "No one who now knows this Sesshoumaru would make such an assumption. The rest have all been dealt with accordingly." He looked her up and down, in a most degrading manner. "Considering your ability to dress depends solely on my generosity, you would be wise to keep your thoughts to yourself." He stood, leaving the newspaper and an almost full cup of tea. "Of course, clothes may be above you since you are only a lowly ningen, and an onna at that." He shut the door crisply, momentarily smiling as something crashed against it. _'__At least this did not destroy her spirit.'_

**A/N:** I do not know why my computer committed ritual suicide. I suspect it felt that being forced to 'upgrade' to Windows Vista was a fate worse than. As a precautionary measure, the new one runs XP.

Thank you for all the reviews, I have been enjoying them. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will update again next week. -TK


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

By 10am, Kagome was ready to purify a stuck-up white-headed spawn of a demon-dog. After searching for an hour, she'd finally come to the conclusion that just like five hundred years ago, he had left without even a by-your-leave. "How convenient to leave just when an emotional response is required" she mumbled under her breath while trying to find her way back to his room.

Absently wondering why he was acting so nasty this morning, she rifled through his dresser drawers, looking for something decent to wear. A few minutes later she was sitting back on her haunches, breathing heavily, and wishing she'd never undertaken this task. There were little piles of articles everywhere, but nothing that she could use. She had reached one shocking little conclusion when the man in question walked in and caught her.

"Human, what have you done with my room?"

She turned and glared at him, still wearing the lounging kimono from that morning. "Don't you have _any_ underwear?" For the first time ever, Kagome saw a hint of red tinge Sesshoumaru's cheeks. He blinked, then suddenly turned and was gone again. "I'll take that as a 'No.'"

Just before lunch, a small green-tinted man walked into Sesshoumaru's bedroom and threw up his hands, the package he'd been carrying flying. "Oh my! What the hell happened in here?" Seeing the woman sitting on the bench beside the window, he shrieked. "Aaaii! A human in Sesshoumaru-sama's bedroom! My master has stooped to an all new low."

Kagome slowly turned to look at him. "And who might you be?" She wasn't worried, it was apparent that Sesshoumaru was around somewhere, he was just hiding from her. One good scream and he'd be there to save her.

The older man bowed slightly. "I am Jacque."

"Is that REALLY your name? I seem to remember it as something else."

Jacque started sweating. "Ano…" He took a good look at the woman sitting on his master's reclining sofa. Suddenly he pointed at her. "You're the Miko!" She stood and walked towards him. "You stay over there, Osuwari!"

Kagome suddenly laughed. "Sorry Jaken, but that only ever worked on InuYasha!" She reached the bag and looked at it. "Is this for me?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama only told me to bring it up here. He neglected to tell me I'd run into a human that should have died a LONG time ago." He was backing towards the door.

"Jaken, please stay for a few moments, if you have time. I won't harm you unless you try to hurt me." She was cautiously opening the bag and hoping nothing jumped out of it. Inside was a clean outfit, complete with underwear. "How did he?"

Jaken puffed up his chest. "He sent me with the sizes to pick up." Slyly, he looked at her over his big nose. "So, did you sleep with him last night? I bet you did." He walked up and sniffed her. "Huh. No smell."

"We slept, but I didn't have sex with your master." She put her hands on her hips. "What kind of person do you take me for?"

"Well, you did hang out with that Hanyou, we figured you'd have already mated."

"I'm a good girl Jaken." Suddenly something occurred to her. "Why do you look like a human?"

"It's a cloaking spell." Suddenly he shimmered and the old Jaken was standing there, more warts than before. "And before you tell me how ugly I've become, let me inform you that warts are a sign of distinction for my race." He looked over at the woman to see her walking towards the bathroom. "Hey! Wait up! You don't have anything nasty to say to me?"

Kagome just waved a hand, not turning to look. "You're just Jaken, why would I be nasty to you?" She disappeared into the other room, but peeked her head out. "Don't leave, I just want to change out of this robe."

Jaken heard clothing rustling in the other room and blushed, trying not to remember the very few times he saw Rin without clothes. As a little girl, she'd had the habit of running around naked after her bath. One time after she wasn't so little, she'd run out of the ofuro because a snake had slithered in through a crack. Jaken had fallen over in a dead faint, but he had been unable to purge the sight of that naked body from his mind. Sesshoumaru had quietly stepped in and killed the snake before ushering her back to the bath and standing with his back to the room until she had finished.

Suddenly the girl was standing in front of him wearing a red and white striped shirt and jeans. "Rin?"

Kagome froze. "Jaken, are you alright?"

He shook his head and smiled. "Yes, just got startled for a second."

She sat on the edge of the bed to put her socks on. "Do I really look like Rin?"

"Not really, just at that first glance." When she finished putting the socks on, he opened the door. "Sesshoumaru-sama is waiting for you in the dining area."

While they were walking down a long hall, Kagome suddenly realized she didn't understand something. "Jaken, why don't either of you act surprised to see me alive?"

Jaken stopped and looked at her. "You had friends in the past, a monk and a taijiya. Sesshoumaru was looking for InuYasha after you both disappeared into the well, and they explained everything. I paid no head to the rumors until I saw InuYasha's son earlier this year.

"InuYasha has a son?"

"Hai." He looked up at the suddenly saddened woman. He laid an old wrinkled hand on her arm. "I'm sorry to have brought him up, I didn't realize that you still had feelings. Sesshoumaru-sama told me that you had broken up with InuYasha."

She nodded her head in affirmation. _'__Because I caught him cheating on me with Tinka and decided that my heart couldn't play second fiddle again.'_ They walked the rest of the way in silence.

As they entered the door, Sesshoumaru looked up and raised an eyebrow at his retainer. Jaken didn't need to be able to hear to understand that non-verbal clue. _'__She has not killed you, amazing. Why is she saddened? If I find out you did it, I WILL kill you.'_ Jaken bowed and exited hastily, leaving the two of them alone.

"Kagome, have a seat." He went back to his papers and waited for lunch to be served.

"Do you ALWAYS work?" The same servant set plates out, serving his master first.

Sesshoumaru put down the pages to start eating. "No. Sometimes I sleep. Other times I have to stop what I am doing to rescue stupid ningens who cannot take care of themselves."

"Touché." She took a bite of fruit salad. "Hey, this is good!"

"I would hope so. I pay my chef enough to ensure it is."

"Is your chef human or demon?"

He looked at her. "I am going to live to be several thousand years old. I do not have the patience to retrain a chef every forty years."

"Good point." The rest of the meal was conducted in silence. After the meal, Kagome stood. When she didn't leave, Sesshoumaru looked at her. "Thank you for the clothes." She turned, hoping to find something to fill her yawning day.

"I talked to Pyusuke, Jaken will take you this afternoon to get a new wardrobe. Is there anything in particular that you cannot live without? The chemicals are so bad that they will have to destroy just about everything. Pyusuke will return some items to me."

"I would like any pictures they can find. The rest…" She sighed. "I can do without. I didn't have much in the first place."

She was still staring at her feet when she heard the one thing she never expected to hear. "I am sorry for your loss."

"What?" She turned to look at him.

He looked at her, unblinking. "I will not repeat myself. Go find Jaken and get your things taken care of." Sesshoumaru had already gone back to his work before she could put her feet in motion.

**A/N:** I hope each of you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for the reviews, they have helped me through a rough week of mother nature gone bad and mandatory training. Hope everyone has a really great week and I will talk at you again next week. -TK


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

Replacing her entire wardrobe was a little expensive; but by the end of the afternoon, Kagome had enough outfits to get through a week without doing laundry. Twice Jaken's cell phone rang, once it was the inspector calling to discuss insurance. Luckily Kagome's mother had pressured her to pay extra for full coverage. After she hung up from that call, she hesitated as she started to hand the phone back.

"Jacque, can I use your phone long enough to call work and let them know what's happening?"

"Yes, but Seth has already called for you."

"Oh!" Touched by Sesshoumaru's secret thoughtfulness, she handed the phone back to Jaken with a slight smile. "Hey Jacque…" He looked over at her. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

He scratched his balding head and Kagome couldn't help but notice he had little sprigs of white hair sticking out of his head like patches of onion grass. "I don't understand what you mean." He scowled at her.

"Why aren't you being all snippy with me like you used to be?" She stopped to look at an outfit at the Dockers store. "Can we go in here for a minute?"

"I don't know why you'd want to go in there, you wouldn't look good dressed like a man." At her raised eyebrow, he lowered his eyes and grumbled.

"What do you think?" She held up a pink shirt and a steel-blue colored shirt.

Jaken wrinkled his nose. "If you're talking about Seth, don't even think about getting the pink, he won't appreciate it."

"Not manly enough to be comfortable in pink?" She had an evil glint in her eye.

"No, Izayoui always wore pink. The blue one is nice though."

"Okay, let's find him some pants." She started rifling through a rack of pants, her head bent down looking at tags. "What size does he wear?"

"How would I know? He goes to a tailor." Jaken _hated_ shopping. Sesshoumaru was going to owe him a two-day retreat at the hot mud spa in Sapporo for this one.

Kagome mocked the demon in a high pitch. "He goes to a tailor." Suddenly she dropped her voice in a parody. "Excuse me, but these proletarian pants are unworthy to grace this Sesshoumaru's body. I have my pants made to fit."

Jaken was turning red. "You shouldn't mock the great Taiyoukai like that. He could hear you."

On the other side of town, Sesshoumaru's ears were tingling. Unaware of the American superstition that he was being talked about, he rubbed one absently while finishing up his phone call.

"Fine, we'll go with these." She pulled out a black pair and headed up to pay. As she put away her card, she looked at Jaken. "Jacque, these clothes cost more than mine."

"Why are you buying him clothes anyways? He has plenty."

"Because I wanted to thank him for taking care of me." She grabbed the bag from the salesman. "Besides, all of his clothes look too old for him. He should be wearing thirtyish clothes."

Jaken was laughing so hard he had to put down the two bags he was carrying to hold his side. He took a deep breath. "His clothes look too OLD for him?" He started wheezing again. "You are priceless, I think it's time to go home."

Kagome was smiling, having finally realized how peculiar her statement had been. She grabbed the bags he'd been carrying for her and led the way, a sniggering toad youkai walking behind her. The drive back was companionable. As the chauffer opened the door, Kagome pinned Jaken with a glare. "You never answered my question."

"And I'm not going to either." He stepped out of the car and disappeared before she could stop him.

Kagome was struggling her way into the house when Sesshoumaru walked through on his way back from grabbing a drink out of the kitchen. He stood in the doorway and watched as she dropped a box of shoes and three bags. One of the bags spilled out small slinky things and Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, but did not offer assistance.

Grumbling to herself, she looked up and glared at the Taiyoukai. "You could offer a hand you know."

"I have already given." He turned and walked away, leaving a blushing woman kneeling on the floor.

At dinner, she brought it up. "Are you angry at me because you lost your arm?"

Sesshoumaru flexed his previously missing left hand. "I missed it for a long time."

"How did you get it back?"

"After Totousai gave Tenseiga the power to open the portal to the afterlife, and Naraku had been defeated, I visited my father's grave and retrieved what was left. It had been well preserved, so I had it reattached."

Kagome sat there with a piece of chicken halfway to her mouth. "Really?"

"Yes. Why? Did you think I was capable of regrowing my arm like a chameleon?" He took a drink of tea. "Nothing in my life has ever been that easy."

"So, are you?"

"Am I what?" He had given up all pretense of eating until they were done talking, he was not about to ruin his dinner with this conversation.

"Are you still mad at me?" She put her chopsticks down with a frustrated 'click.'

"No." He held his cup up for a refill and then waved the servant out of the room. After the servant left, he looked at Kagome. "We need to discuss your presence in my household."

"I wanted to talk with you about that…I think I need to find another place to live. I'm not comfortable mooching off of you."

"Reasonable. However, until we are able to find you a safe place to live, I still need a way to explain you to the youkai that work for me. Until just before dinner, you were being viewed as my newest mistress."

"You have more than one?"

Sesshoumaru just closed his eyes and shook his head slightly. "It is not acceptable for you to be considered my mistress."

"I'm WHAT?" Somehow the 'newest' label had taken precedence over his statement that SHE was considered that mistress. Suddenly she caught his next statement. "And WHY wouldn't I be acceptable?"

"Are you going to calm down and discuss this rationally, or do I need to tie you to that chair and gag you, thus inciting more rumors?" He moved his chair back in preparation of containing her.

"I'll be quiet…" at his askance look, she quantified, 'for now."

"In order for you to be worthy of spending time in my home, we must be related. Since you are obviously not a demon, there is only one other way to be related."

Kagome bit her tongue, and her cheek; but kept her mouth shut.

"You have to be engaged to either InuYasha, or myself." Sesshoumaru watched curiously while Kagome's face turned pale, then fiery.

"Is there a third option?" She put her face in her hands. "That's the only way?"

"Yes. I told the staff tonight that you WERE engaged to InuYasha, but he betrayed your vows and now has children with another woman."

"Children?" Just how bad was this dinner going to get?

"Two. One just beyond toddler stage, one that will have been born by now."

"You don't know for sure?"

"Your InuYasha has demanded that I refrain for interfering in his life."

"He's not mine. He hasn't been mine since he told me that he'd started seeing other women." She glared daggers at the tall man. "Why did you have to put me with him? Am I so unacceptable to you that you'd drag me through the quagmire of my emotions to save your face?"

Sesshoumaru suddenly stood in front of her, intense eyes glaring unblinkingly at her. He reached out and grabbed her chin, bringing her of out her chair by that one hand. When she was on her feet, he leaned forward, catching her lips with his own.

It wasn't a pleasant kiss, it wasn't one that made either of them want to smile. It was a deeply disturbing kiss. Sesshoumaru looped his other arm around her waist, pulling her tight against his chest. She retaliated by nipping at his lower lip. He punished her by slanting the kiss further and involving their tongues.

Over, around, tangled together. There was clear confusion on who was in charge. Every time one of them would get the upper hand, the other would turn the tables through some sneaky tactic. Unfortunately for both of them, somewhere between Sesshoumaru's arm around her waist and Kagome biting him where his upper and lower lips met, they lost sight of the reason for this action. All they were left with was the passion of the moment.

Jaken was halfway into the room before he saw them and started squawking. Sesshoumaru had a hand up under that human girl's shirt, and she had one hand wrapped in his hair and the other holding his face still so she could plunder. The sight was enough to lay him out cold. When he fell, the thump caused both of the participants to jump apart. Kagome was beet red, while Sesshoumaru was indifferent to everything that had happened.

Picking Jaken up off of the floor and setting him in a chair, Sesshoumaru stood and looked at Kagome. "I never said you were unacceptable." Then he was gone.

Kagome kicked the table and then hopped around on one foot until her toes quit hurting. "So much for me giving YOU your present!"

**A/N:** Speaking of presents…you get this one day early because if not it'll be one day late. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for all the lovely reviews and I'll be zinging another one at you in another week.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

The next morning, Kagome started her day sitting in front of the garden bay windows. She had a renter's guide and the Tokyo newspaper spread out on the coffee table and had just finished circling another possibility when Sesshoumaru walked in. He was trying to find a report that Jaken had misplaced. Coming around the couch, he stopped when he saw Kagome. She was wearing a black and pink pinstripe skirt with a white silk blouse tucked into the waist. For a second he thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, but then he realized his thoughts had wandered and gathered them back into the remote box in which they belonged.

"Dare I ask what you are doing?" He looked at her work.

"I can't stay here."

"Cannot, or will not?"

She turned to face him. "It doesn't matter."

He leaned over the couch, his face too close for her comfort. "I disagree." Suddenly he reached a hand down to her thigh. As she jumped, he snatched the report that was sticking out from the cushion beside her. "Do not presume to know what this Sesshoumaru is going to do." He turned and walked away but stopped at the door. "You will not move into any apartment until I agree that it is acceptable." With that statement, he was gone.

"Stupid man, who does he think he is?" She circled two completely inappropriate apartment complexes just to spite him.

At lunch, she told Jaken that she would like to borrow the car to go look at apartments.

"Miss, may I join you? Sesshoumaru-sama would not be pleased with me if I allowed you to wander around this area by yourself."

"I'm not looking in this area."

"Huh?" He was facing her dead on, walking over with his old-man walk. "Where are you looking?"

"I work on the other side of Tokyo. I'll be looking near work." At his concerned expression, she laughed. "Old demon, I had a life before Sesshoumaru rescued me. Do you not believe I can take care of myself?"

He blushed. "Of course, I just…"

"I know, as many times as you saw Sesshoumaru's brother take care of me, it's hard to believe that I am capable of taking care of myself. Believe me though, I have done a very good job of it for many years." She put all of the papers together in order of location and looked at him. "So…are we going?"

"Hai."

ssssss

By five, they were both tired, frustrated, and snapping at each other. The drive across town had been fairly quick, taking only an hour, but none of the apartments Kagome could afford were suitable to Jaken. "Jacque, if you don't lighten up on your requirements, I'm going to be living with Sesshoumaru forever, and that's not something I'm prepared to do."

He glared at Kagome. "What's the matter with living with my master?" He flicked a hand negligently. "He takes very good care of everyone in his employ."

"In case you haven't noticed, you little green toad, I'm NOT an employee of Sesshoumaru." She had her hands on her hips and was glaring at him. Since they were both standing outside of another apartment complex, they were attracting quite an audience. Suddenly she realized where they were and grabbed the shoulder of his suit jacket and dragged him into the backseat of their vehicle. As their driver took off, the crowd dissolved and Kagome sighed in relief.

"Why did you drag me into the car?" Jaken rubbed his shoulder as if her snatch and grab had harmed him.

"Because everyone was staring at us, and neither one of us is very good at controlling our emotions." She looked out the window. "If we both lose our tempers at the same time, we'll show people things that they don't need to see." When she turned back to him, he had his hands clenched in his lap.

"I understand. Thank you."

She smiled and gently patted his shoulder. "We take care of each other." She shuffled through the remaining complexes on their list. "Now, let's figure out where we're going tomorrow." She scooted closer. "We'll have to leave earlier in the morning if we're to get all of these done." She waved the list at him and smiled. "Okay?"

"I just want to get this over with. I hate looking at these tiny boxes, they give me nightmares." When his cell phone rang, he jumped and fumbled until he grabbed it out of his pocket. "Moshi, Moshi" Suddenly his face paled. "Sesshoumaru-sama…I am on the other side of Tokyo." He pulled the phone from his ear, Kagome could hear Sesshoumaru speaking quite loudly.

"_What are you doing over there? I believe that I told you that you were to stay at the house. Why have you disobeyed this Sesshoumaru?"_

Kagome grabbed the phone from Jaken and took a deep breath. "Now listen you stupid man, I need to find another apartment. I told him that he either came with me, or I left on my own. You should be thanking him for taking the initiative to come with me instead of lam blasting him for disobeying your orders." When she took a second to breathe, she noticed that there were no sounds coming from the other end. "Sesshoumaru, you had better say something to me." She waited…no sounds. "If you've hung up on me, I swear you will regret it." Pulling the phone away from her ear, she looked, 'call terminated.' Throwing the phone back at Jaken, she looked out the window and focused on deep breathing to prevent herself from purifying everything around her.

sssss

Dinner was very quiet. When they had arrived, Jaken was sent to Sesshoumaru's office and Kagome was told to stay in her room until dinner was served. When a servant showed up to inform her that dinner was ready, Kagome was not sure whether to run and hide, or confront the stubborn mule. Sucking in her breath and straightening her spine, she headed into battle.

Deciding to allow Sesshoumaru the first volley of fire, she sat down and calmly started eating dinner. Cheese and crackers was replaced by split pea soup, which was replaced by an Italian salad, which was replaced by more courses until Kagome swore she was going to explode from gluttony. Sesshoumaru calmly ate each course, putting away more food than most ravenous wolf packs could eat together. As the desert cheese and finally the fruit compote were cleared away, she exploded.

"Aren't you going to yell at me?"

He raised an eyebrow, but made no comment.

"You hung up on me, that's usually a quick sign I've pissed someone off."

He raised his desert wine, looking at its golden hue in the candle-light. "There was nothing to be gained with that conversation. I was done talking." He took a quiet sip.

"But I wasn't." She glared at him and stirred her coffee harder, clinking the side of the cup in agitation.

"Tell me how that is any of my concern." He daintily nibbled on a piece of apple before taking another sip of wine.

Kagome could do nothing except sit there. After a few moments of stewing, Sesshoumaru watching intently, she finally opened her mouth.

Sesshoumaru interrupted her. "If you are going to start harping on me again, I will leave."

She let out a frustrated breath. "I am not a shrew."

"You acted like one today."

"You yelled at your retainer, who was doing his job."

He turned his head to look at her in interest. "Not from my perspective."

"But your perspective isn't always right." She stood and left, deciding on her action plan for the morning. She missed Sesshoumaru ripping a set of holes in the tablecloth with his nails as she deserted him.

**A/N:** Has it already been another week? Where does it go? I hope each of you had a wonderful week last week and that Labor Day is a good day for you, even if you're working. Again, thank you for all the wonderful reviews and I'll talk at you in another week. -TK


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

Kagome ate breakfast alone. Just as she finished her cereal and fruit, Jaken appeared. "Morning Miss Kagome."

She gave him a dazzling smile, which set him back a step. "Good morning Jaken!"

"Do you have your list ready for today?"

She picked up the list of apartments that she'd altered for her own purposes and waved it. "Yes, I do."

"Well, let's get started."

ssssss

Two hours later, Jaken was shaking his head, and Kagome was sitting with her arms crossed and glaring at the toad. "Why not?"

"If I let you rent that…" he glanced at the dilapidated building behind him "hovel, Sesshoumaru would kill me dead."

Understanding the difference between being killed, and being killed dead, Kagome shuddered. "What does he care?"

Jaken looked down his long beaklike nose at her. "What a silly question from the ningen."

Kagome scowled at him. "I don't understand. He ignores me when I'm at the house, and doesn't treat me with any kind of respect."

"You are a powerful miko, not a whore." He held his breath and waited.

"WHAT?" Her hair almost stood on end in anger.

"Lord Sesshoumaru is a cold man, he can't show any affection towards you."

"He has when we're out." She was glaring at him again.

"Lord Sesshoumaru owns that house. He is a cold man." He crossed his small arms and looked back at the girl, hoping he'd not lose his temper.

"No he's not!"

"Lord Sesshoumaru is a cold man." Kami save him from people ignorant of the ways of demon nobility.

"He's not cold to me when we're out." She was almost in his face.

"He's not Lord Sesshoumaru when he's out." How Jaken managed to say all of that without raising his voice, he'd never understand. He was just grateful he did get it out.

"Oh." She thought for a moment. "So, if I get a house, he'll come visit?"

"I didn't say that. What I said is that he does care for your welfare. He will not allow you to live in such a destitute establishment."

She handed him the papers. "Fine, you tell me where we need to look."

At lunch, they went to a nice restaurant to have a celebratory meal. As Michael parked the vehicle, Kagome jingled apartment keys in Jaken's face. "I knew we could do it!"

"I'm more pleased with this apartment than the others on your list, but I still don't understand why you have to leave."

Kagome held out three fingers to let the maitre-d know that there was one more. Then she leaned down to look at Jaken. "Because I'm a miko, not a whore."

"Gonna make me eat those words huh?" He picked up an extra menu and scowled at the appetizers. "What do you think about the goat's milk mozzarella balls as an appetizer?"

"Neeeeh." She bleated.

Jaken smiled and looked at her. "That sounded more like a sheep." He thrust the menu at her. "Fine, you pick."

As Michael arrived, Jaken scooted over, leaving Kagome to sit by herself. The snake youkai would have been more than happy to sit with Kagome, but when he saw Jaken's glare, he realized that Sesshoumaru would not be pleased with that decision.

They munched on edemane while waiting for their sushi to arrive. Then the three fought over the green lined rolls and the sashimi with a fervor rarely seen outside of a high school sumo festival. At one point, Jaken and Michael had a glaring match to see who would get the last cucumber and eel roll, only to have Kagome whip in and steal it from the both of them. Grinning and smacking her lips, she licked the roll just to disgust them before snarfing it. They responded by throwing their chopsticks at her.

Laughing at each other's antics, they headed back out to the car. However, they only made it a few blocks before Kagome had to stop and look at furniture in a used shop. Although her insurance was enough to afford nice things, she really had no interest in buying expensive furniture. They spent several hours walking amongst the rows of bookshelves and odds and ends. The store was rather large, and took up two floors. At one point, Kagome made Michael and Jaken pretend they were working in a museum and the two of them went around cataloging the pieces using their centuries worth of experience to time stamp each style.

By the time they finished, Kagome had purchased several pieces that looked Meiji in style and two from the Sengoku style. They would be delivered to her new place the middle of the following week. Tired, but happy, they headed back to Sesshoumaru's house. As they entered Sesshoumaru's prefecture, they noticed the sun was setting. This did not bode well for the travelers since it was summer and the days were long. Looking at his watch, Jaken's eyes bugged out. "Kagome, Sesshoumaru-sama is going to be very angry."

"Why?" She was really in too good of a mood to be bothered by grumpy men with silver hair.

He held the watch so that she could see it. The time read 9:00 and they were supposed to have been back by dinner. Since they'd had such a large lunch, neither of them had noticed the approach and departure of the dining hours. Jaken was just about to explain that he'd take the blame when Kagome spoke up.

"Oh well, I've done greater things to piss our dog demon friend off." That said, she went back to thinking about how she was going to arrange her new apartment.

As they pulled up to the house, Sesshoumaru's silver Lexus was parked out front. Jaken knew he'd done it for their sakes because he hated having his car unnecessarily exposed to the elements. Jaken figured it was so that Sesshoumaru would have a clean getaway after he disemboweled them and left their corpses to rot in the house. Beginning to harbor serious regrets about his decision to help Kagome, Jaken decided to leave her to her own fate. As the door opened, he started to slink off when he heard the one voice he most wanted to avoid.

"And where are you sneaking off to?" It was ten degrees colder than usual.

Without thinking twice, Jaken turned and pointed at Kagome. "Sumimasen Sesshoumaru-sama. She made me do it!"

Kagome put her hands on her hips and glared at the toad. "Jaken!"

"She did… your greatness!!!"

Kagome glanced up from Jaken's unhappy face and into Sesshoumaru's darker one. Suddenly she smiled. "Hai! I did. I forced him at literal Miko-point to come with me. Then I threatened to purify him if he didn't help me eat four buffet plates full of various sushi. I also dragged him into several furniture stores." She bowed. "Sumimasen Sesshoumaru, Gomen Nasai Jaken." Then she giggled. "But look!" She held up a key. "I found a new apartment!" She pranced on through, missing how Sesshoumaru's countenance darkened even further at the knowledge that she would soon be leaving.

**A/N:** Another week - another update. I know, this one leaves you hanging just a little, but don't let it get you down. It's just 7 days to the next update . I hope it is a good one. -TK


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken), most of Kagome's co-workers and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

It took Kagome only a day to get settled into her new apartment. She called work and informed them that she'd be back the next day, while thanking them for working with her while she was out.

As Kagome pulled up to the office building she worked in, two of her coworkers noticed she'd arrived. Waiting while she locked her car, they walked in with her. Kathyrin was the first to speak. "So, Kagome, what's this I hear about you shacking up with some gorgeous guy?"

Her cheeks tinged in embarrassment. "My apartment burned down, so I went to stay with my ex-fiancée's brother."

Kaori looked at her slyly. "Would this be the same 'brother' that you were seen arguing with in the newspaper?"

"Ano…"

Kathyrin grinned. "Way to go! So, why did you drive if you have such a yummy man at your beck and call?"

"I wasn't living with him, I was just staying there until I could find a new apartment. I found a new apartment, so he's not longer around." She opened the door and marched over to the elevator, hoping that they wouldn't follow.

They didn't, but Kaori did yell across the room. "I think you should have stayed shacked up with him! He was good for you."

Kagome closed her eyes, mortified. When the elevator doors pinged open, she walked in and pressed 'close door' and stood there for a moment gathering her wits before heading down to her subterranean sanctuary.

ssssss

After a long first day back, Kagome walked into her empty apartment and set her small bag of groceries down on the counter. After making two small vegetable rolls and a pot of green tea, she sat down to catch up on all of her bills. Halfway through the first stack, she realized that it was too quiet in the room. Putting a classical CD in her new player, she went back to work. Finishing the first stack, she looked at her watch, 8:30. It was too early to go to bed.

She fidgeted for a few minutes, wondering how she could miss someone who never showed any interest in who she was. Then she walked over to the phone and glared at it. Impulsively, she picked it up. No dialtone. _'__Oh yeah, it gets turned on tomorrow.'_ Laughing at herself, she put the handset back in the cradle. _'__Saved by a failure in technology.'_ Deciding that 8:45 wasn't too early to go to bed, Kagome turned out the lights and laid down on the futon.

The next two days were very similar. She'd work too many hours, come home to an empty apartment and go to bed early to keep from calling Sesshoumaru. She had no idea if he missed her, but she hoped if he did, it was all he could do to keep from calling. Thursday afternoon, she stopped by an electronics store in Harajuku on the way home and picked up a clearance model TV. Putting in a DVD, she munched on popcorn and waited for a man who didn't have her phone number to call.

On Friday, she gave in. Picking up the phone, she dialed his number. It was answered on the third ring by a harried voice. "Shujin Residence."

"Hello Jaken! How are you?"

"Very busy Kagome. What can I help you with?" He tapped his foot on the floor hoping she would be quick. He liked the girl, but she tended to dawdle.

"Is Sesshoumaru around?"

"Yes. Hold on." Putting his hand over the phone, he turned in the direction that he'd last seen his master. "SESSHOUMARU-SAMA, TELEPHONE!"

Kagome laughed. He was as bad as a kid. A moment later, she heard mumbled words and a squeaky apology.

"Hello Kagome."

She didn't think there was a drug in the world that would make her immune to his voice. "Hello Sesshoumaru."

"Is there a problem?" He looked at his fingernails and realized he would have to file them before he left for Texas.

"Am I only allowed to talk to you when there's a problem?" Heat was beginning to grow in her voice.

Sesshoumaru blinked. "No…but most people do not contact me unless there is a problem. So, what is wrong?" Kagome thought for a moment. It was a long moment, and Sesshoumaru had a slight insight into how people felt when he gave them the silent treatment.

"Um…I miss you. That's what's wrong." She huffed over the phone. "Somehow, you've managed to worm your way into my life and now I miss you. Dammit!"

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow quirked up, but there was no other reaction. "How is the new apartment?"

"Aren't you listening to me? The apartment is fine, the job is fine. I MISS YOU!"

"I heard you Kagome. But what do you want me to do about it?"

"I want to see you."

"As in a date?"

"As in the two of us get together and talk, get together and go eat, get together and be. I don't care."

"In case you had not noticed, I am not big on talking."

She laughed, it was a wet sounding laugh, and Kagome wiped tears off of her face. "I know. How about dinner?"

"Are you asking me on a date, or are you trying to get a free meal?"

All conversation stopped. Then suddenly he heard a quiet "never mind."

Having been alive a millennia, he knew what was coming next. "WAIT!" Then he wanted to smack himself for showing that weakness. He had _never_ called a person back to him when they had walked off.

Her 'what?' was sulky.

"I can only deduce from your reaction that you are not trying to get a free meal."

"Have I ever wanted a free anything from you? I moved out because I felt I was being a burden."

"I know."

"I suppose it's too much to ask for an apology?"

"Yes." He was fighting a miniscule grin at this point.

"Okay, so are we on for dinner Friday night?"

"No." Silence ruled the phone lines for a moment. "I am leaving to go out of town. The following weekend is not too busy."

"Saturday or Sunday?"

"Sunday."

Kagome's tone suddenly became very light and cheerful. "Okay. Have a great trip and I'll see you next Sunday." Not giving herself a chance to say anything to mess up what she'd gained, she hung up.

Sesshoumaru looked at the buzzing phone then gently put it back in the cradle. "Jaken! Get back down here, we need to have a short discussion about phone etiquette."

**A/N**: Reading for final proofing before submittal often reminds me how much fun some of these chapters were to write. I know the last chapter was a little boring, but it was a builder chapter and was needed in order for the story to progress at a somewhat smooth pace. To answer a couple of questions that I have been getting repeatedly…First, I update on Mondays. If I'm going to be busy, I typically update on Sundays. Sometimes it's very late on Mondays, usually it's mid-evening. Second, the pacing of their relationship is slow for two reasons. One is because they may not "get together" (puts on Nomex for protection from the flames that statement is going to generate) and the other is because if they did get together it would not happen overnight. Either way it goes, Sesshoumaru does nothing in a relationship (friendship or more) quickly. He has all the time in the world and would definitely see a couple of months as only a blink. I know it's frustrating, but the journey is half the fun of reading a story, correct? Please continue to enjoy this tale and if you are so inclined, tell me what you think. I enjoy the comments, complaints, etc… and will not be offended by anything you say (as long as you keep it clean, remember there are no ratings on reviews). Until next week, and a shorter A/N… -TK


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

The following week crept by for both of them. Sesshoumaru tried to figure out when that little pixie had managed to crawl so deep up his ass, while Kagome tried to figure out why she was so attracted to men who hated chatty women. By Saturday evening, Kagome had tried on every outfit she'd ever thought to purchase, and put most of them back on the shelves. Disgusted, she stomped into one last clothing store and decided she'd buy the next thing her eye landed on, regardless of price or fit.

Ten minutes later, she was walking out of the store with a champagne colored satiny dress that pooled nicely over her breasts and was held up by spaghetti straps that would distract any warm-blooded man. Stopping quickly in an accessories store, she picked up a simple black ribbon to go around her neck. Shoes took longer, and she finally decided on a pair of clear acrylic heels with gold buckles. Satisfied with her purchases, she headed home.

Just as she opened the door, the answering machine clicked off. Stopping long enough to hang the dress on the first available hook, she rushed over and pushed the playback button. The voice that came out was a sexy tenor, and not at all the voice she wanted to hear. "Hey sis! I hope you are doing well. Mom is worried sick about you because she hasn't heard anything from you in over three weeks. I've been covering for you by telling her that you've been talking with me, but you really need to call her. And before you ask, I…" The answering machine cut off.  
Kagome was banging her head lightly against the wall when the next message started. "Anyways, I called Sesshoumaru to get your number, since you didn't think enough of your kin to tell us. He didn't answer. I even called that 'in case of emergency call' number you gave us. No one answered it either. So, I drove across town and hunted him down." The answering machine beeped again. Kagome had quit banging her head and was staring at the machine in horror.  
It beeped again before she could close her mouth. "And a guy by the name of Jacque answered the door. I don't know about what you think, but he looks just like that Jaken guy you used to talk about. I figure if Sesshoumaru is asshole's brother, than that makes him a demon. So, why wouldn't his butler be a demon?" The answering machine clicked off again. Kagome groaned.  
"I hate your answering machine. Anyways, call Mom. And I want to sit down and talk with that man, you know the one, when he gets back. We need to talk about Human/Youkai relationships…if you know what I mean. And don't scowl like that. I love you, get some. Bye." Kagome listened to the beep, trying to decide whether to kill her brother or let Sesshoumaru hear the 'message' and take Souta out for her.

Two hours later, Kagome felt like she'd been put through the ringer. Her mother was understandably upset at her lack of communication. Kagome shamelessly exploited Souta's story that she'd been keeping in contact with him, while filling her mother in on everything that had happened in the last three weeks. Just as she was hanging up, she remembered that she hadn't given her mother her new number, so she stopped long enough to tell her what it was and explain that since she was no longer staying at Sesshoumaru's house, Sesshoumaru wouldn't keep his 'emergency phone' on for them to call. Not thinking any further than crawling into bed, Kagome hung up from talking with her mom and turned off the lights, sleep claiming her almost instantly.

The chirping of little birdies woke her the next morning. Mumbling some very inelegant words under her breath, she rolled over and threw the alarm clock across the room. When her jiji had bought it for her in middle school, she had loved the sound of the birds. But after spending three years of her life being woken by the real things, she had no love for the sound of birds first thing in the morning. Ironically, because of her lack of love for the Audubon Society, the alarm was very effective at waking her up. The satisfying 'thwak' of plastic hitting shoji screen only stayed with her an instant before she remembered _why_ her alarm was set on a Sunday. "Oh my gosh! I have a date!"

Jumping out of bed, flinging covers everywhere, Kagome started rushing around the room. "Gotta put the bed up, don't want him to get any ideas, but maybe I should just make it up and leave it in case he DOES get any ideas." She stopped. "No, better put the bed up. He wouldn't respect me in the morning." She laughed. "In fact, he'd probably just kill me and get it over with, no need for the awkward morning-afters."

In a much better frame of mind, Kagome cleaned the room and started making herself presentable. Just as she was finishing her hair, she looked at the clock, 9am. "Great," she muttered. "I'm almost done, and it's nine more hours until he gets here."

Deciding she had to do something, anything, in order to keep herself sane, she called Souta. Absently filing a rough spot on one of her nails, she was completely unprepared when the phone was answered by a sleepy female voice. "Ohaiyo Gozaimasu…"

"Um, is Souta there?" She heard the rustle of bedding and a whispered 'I think it's your mom.' Followed by a groan.

"Good morning Mom, and before you start…"

"It's Kags."

She heard his sigh of relief loud and clear. "And how much is it going to cost me for you not to tell mom?"

"You don't go talk to Sesshoumaru about our personal lives, and I don't go talk to Mom about your personal life."

His rusty morning chuckle tickled her ear. "Ah ha! So you admit you HAVE a personal life?"

"No. But if you go talk to him, I won't _ever_ have a personal life."

"Well, I would hate to deny you the privilege of learning what morning sex is like, so I'll leave your personal life alone." She heard light feminine squealing in the background and knew she didn't want to know what inspired it.

"Listen, before you break-in the morning, I was wondering if you had plans for lunch…you can bring Hitomi with you." The squealing had been reduced to giggling. _'__Ug, young love, I'm so glad I'm older than that._'

"Sure sis. We'll meet you for lunch, say 11:45 at Jin's?"

"Okay. Something light though."

"Really? You have a date or something?"

She wasn't about to dignify that with an answer. "Go wake your girlfriend up. I'll see you at lunch."

Just as she started to pull the phone away from her ear, she over heard Souta tell Hitomi. "HiHi, I think Kagome has a date!"

**A/N:** Please have a great week and I'll update next Monday. -TK


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

Jin's Soba Shop was a dive. It was the kind of place all the locals worshipped and all the tourists avoided. It was literally a hole, or at least the ordering counter was, a hole in the side of a row of stores. At one time it had been the counter where serious Pachinko players would trade in their tokens for cash; but the nearest Pachinko palace had gone under due to unscrupulous business practices and the exchange room had moved to greener pastures.

Jin was a tall man, of generally unrecognizable origins. It was obvious that there was Asian in his family tree, but there was no doubt that the roots forked liberally. He had tight curly red hair, which earned him quite a few side-glances from some of the elderly customers, and the dark skin better suited to a mid-easterner. However, his height was more that of a North American, and he was often called 'Yank' by many of his friends.

If anyone bothered to ask, he didn't keep his lineage a secret. His father's Irish father had fallen in love with a woman from Armenia. They had two boys, one with red hair and dark skin, and one with blonde hair and light skin. His mother's very tall American father had taken a Japanese-Hawaiian wife while he was stationed at Pearl Harbor during WWII. They had one girl, who was a dead ringer for every person's idea of a Japanese Geisha. His father, the one with blonde hair and light skin, had married his mother and he had been a result.

At this point in his story, Jin would always take a second to chuckle quietly to himself, and the listener would often wonder if he wasn't just spinning a very good yarn. "When I was born, I came out long, with red hair, bright blue eyes, and dark skin. As I grew, the people in the neighborhood would ask my parents if I was adopted. Once they said 'yes' as a joke, then spent the next year convincing me that I was actually of their flesh and blood." He sighed. "Actually, I didn't believe them until Uncle Ronald came over from America. Everyone called him Ronald McD because his hair was about the same color and curliness as a certain hamburger joint's mascot." He shook his head. "If he hadn't been born before Willard Scott came up with that famous mascot, I would have sworn they named him on purpose."

After that, he would start to meander off into other territories. If the listener didn't interrupt with another order soon enough, Jin would start into the different places he'd lived and things he'd done. Once that conversation got started, it was an all-day tirade. Since none of the Japanese people wanted to be rude and interrupt, quite a few of them had been suckered in by their friends. These friends would then casually walk by an hour or two later, wave gaily, and move on.

Since Kagome, Souta, and Hitomi were long-standing customers of Jin's, they knew better than to step into the trap of asking him personal questions. Having ordered their lunch, they stood in a little circle, waiting for their bowls to appear out the window.

"Soup's Up!" They had no idea where he got these weird colloquialisms, but it was part of the entire charm of Jin's. They then walked over to the picnic tables that had magically started growing in front of Jin's. What was once a 'to go' stand was now a 'to get and sit down' stand. There were ten or twenty picnic tables that locals had donated to the cause. People sat elbow-to-elbow, friends enemies and strangers alike, snarfing noodles and discussing the latest gossip.

Finding a table further away from the melee, they sat and started eating. Since Kagome and Souta took eating so seriously, Hitomi didn't try to start a conversation. Just as they were about to finish, and she was ready to ask Kagome how she'd been doing for the last few weeks, Jin showed up.

Carrying two bowls of noodles and a bowl of fresh fruit, he sat down at their table and preceded to hand a bowl each to the Higurashi's and the fruit to Hitomi. At her strange look, he jumped right in. "I could tell the kids were still hungry, so I made some extra. You looked like you didn't want any more."

Hitomi looked longingly at Kagome's bowl. Taking the opportunity, Kagome laughed lightly. "I'll trade you." They swapped before Kagome looked at Jin.

Jin was scratching his curly hair lightly. "But you always…"

"Dafe…" A mumbled explanation came from Souta.

"Oh Really!?! You have a DATE tonight Miss Kagome!" He stood and looked around. "ATTENTION!" Everyone stopped and looked at him. Kagome wanted to die, but it was part of who he was. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her up. "This lady right here has a DATE tonight! Let's all take a second and wish her luck!" Everyone nodded and a few clapped quietly before leaning back over their food. Jin sat back down and laughed at Kagome's disconcerted face. "Don't worry kid. It'll be fine. Where are you going?"

"I don't know. He just said that he'd be there at 6pm."

"Is he ever late?" Jin suddenly hit his head with his hand. "How presumptuous of me, is this your first date?"

Kagome laughed lightly. "No, and No."

"Wow! How long have you been dating?"

Souta leaned over. "They lived together for a couple of weeks last month, Kagome was apartment shopping and she stayed with him. Sounds serious doesn't it!?!"

Jin felt a tear come to his eye. "My sweet little Kagome, living with a man. Is he any good in bed?"

Kagome was so embarrassed she could actually feel her ears burning. "I haven't had sex with him. Jin, you know my stand on things."

He laughed lightly and stood up. "Yeah, but one could hope." Turning, he walked back to his shop to wait on the growing line of customers. Everyone knew him well enough to know that they'd eventually get waited on, but he did try not to make them wait too long. Just as he got to the door, he turned back. "YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME!" Everyone turned to look at Kagome again, who just waved back and glared at Souta.

"Why did you tell him I'd moved in with Seth? You know it was only temporary because I didn't have a place to live."

"I thought his name was Sess" Kagome quickly reached a hand out and clamped it over his mouth.

"What you know him as, and what he goes by in the world now, are two different things. Remember, things now are not always as they seem, and people do not accept thoughts of paranormal possibilities, unless it's a story."

Hitomi looked at the two, confusion evident in her face. "Um, is your boyfriend a bad person?" At Kagome's negative shake, she continued. "Oh, is he a covert missions specialist for the military or something?"

Kagome sighed, and then thought up the most ridiculous story possible. "No, his ex-wife believes she is the reincarnation of a demon goddess from before the Meiji period and that he is her love-slave. A year after she divorced him to train as a priestess, she started stalking him. She started saying that he was always her destiny and that unless they mated, she would never be able to carry on the sacred lineage."

Souta was staring at her with slitted eyes and Kagome just knew she'd be asked to tell the truth. Suddenly Hitomi sniffed and grabbed Kagome's hand. "That's just so horrible!"

Souta's face was almost purple, he was working so hard not to laugh at his fiancée.

"To be stalked by the woman he once loved because she wants him only for his body." Hitomi shuddered lightly and Kagome wondered what kind of books Souta's fiancée read to make this story believable.

"I should be so lucky" Souta mumbled under his breath.

"What dear?" Hitomi turned to glance at him, having completely missed his statement.

He put his arm around her and looked at Kagome, giving her a slight wink. "You do realize that Kagome is dating a very powerful man, and he doesn't ever want anyone to know about his ex-wife's problem. This is because although he no longer loves her, he doesn't want her to suffer ridicule for her ideas on life. So, you can never say anything to anyone about this, understand?" At her wide-eyed look, he continued. "If you ever did anything to dishonor my family, you know that I would be most unpleased with you?" She nodded her head wildly. "Please, love, don't do anything to dishonor Kagome since she is dating this man, and she is part of our family."

Hitomi looked back over at Kagome. "I promise that I will never repeat this conversation, except maybe to Souta."

'_If Sesshoumaru ever meets Hitomi, I'll have to tell him what I said, he'll probably kill me.'_ Smiling back at Hitomi, Kagome hoped the girl would keep her word.

**A/N: **Yes! More people are telling me things I need to do to improve the story. It makes me really happy to get these (sick aren't I?). I fixed Chapter 4, Kagome is no longer going to die from alcohol poisoning, and thank you for pointing out the dollar/yen issue. I checked out all the chapters and that was the only time I made that kind of error. Also, now at least 2 people have pointed out Kagome's OOCness. Please tell me more instances so that I can either go back and have the story explain why she's suddenly acting unusual, or I can decide if those sections need major rewrites. Some of her issues about relationships will resolve themselves in the upcoming chapters so I will leave them as they are for now. If after the resolution you still don't think they were properly handled, I may revise.

Please have a great week. Next week's update will be late due to an unavoidable internet situation. Do not look for it until Wednesday. Gomen Nasai Minna-san. -TK


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

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**Kagome took a second to look at the chapter number and hoped it was not an indication of how her date was going to go. Completely forgetting that this was only a story, she continued on with the plot.**

Souta and Hitomi had helped her to waste part of the day by 'window' shopping with her through the markets and talking about their wedding. Since Souta was graduating in May, and had already secured a nice analyst job with Bank of Japan, they had decided to have a June wedding. They had always wanted to hold it at the Shrine, so that eliminated the expense of booking a place to hold the ceremony and another to hold the reception. By 4pm, Kagome had listened to enough talk about flowers and bridesmaid's dresses to squash any excitement she might one day have about her nuptials.

As they arrived back at her apartment, Souta gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and Hitomi grabbed her in a hug. "Go have a good time tonight, and don't worry about any of us, you do what you think is right." Given that startlingly astute advice, Hitomi turned and grabbed Souta's hand, leaving Kagome standing alone.

"Well, that sure put me in my place." Unlocking the door and walking into her apartment building, she decided that it wasn't too early to take a shower and start getting ready.

ssssss

When Sesshoumaru showed up at 5:50, Kagome answered the door in a vision of pale gold. He stopped a second to stare, trying not to be too obvious. Suddenly he bowed and took her hand in his. "Good evening Miss Kagome. I see you are ready to leave."

Kagome looked at him funny. "Those Texans teach you how to ride cows too?"

The humor showed only in his eyes. "They are bulls, not cows. And no, I was not interested." Leading her out of the room, he waited while she locked the door. Then he followed her to the car and waited while Michael opened the door.

"Her dresss matchess your eyesss." Michael shut the door for them and Sesshoumaru looked over. Michael was correct. Too bad he masked his true visage when out in public, they would make a stunning couple.

"How was your trip?"

"Fine."

"How is Jaken?"

"Fine."

"How are you?"

"Fine."

Kagome leaned forward and glared at him. "If you limit your responses to one word, it's going to be a VERY long night."

"Fine."

She caught the tightening of his cheek and realized he had done that one on purpose.

Her laughter lightened the entire vehicle, almost as if fairies had entered the room. Sesshoumaru sat back and enjoyed the sensation. "We will be at the restaurant in a few minutes, why do we not wait to start our conversation until then."

Kagome rolled her eyes at him; but then proceeded to turn and look at the cityscape as they rode. Sesshoumaru took the time to watch her face as the lights flashed through the windows. She was a lovely woman, and the few years between her last visit to the feudal era and now had only brought out the loveliness of maturity. Just as he was beginning to feel maudlin, Michael pulled up in front of an exclusive Indian restaurant and walked around to open the door, handing Kagome out before stepping back and giving Sesshoumaru space to exit.

Sesshoumaru put his arm around Kagome's waist and gently lead her up the steps. As at Le Tres Youkai, the Maitre-d knew him. The man was a dark skinned gentleman with long hair tied back in a ponytail. He eyed Sesshoumaru's partner, then bowed deeply at the lord. "Seth-sama. Welcome, your usual is reserved." He led them back to a small room with a short table and two sections of cushions. There was a man dressed in a turban and sarong standing at attention, and he bowed even deeper as they entered. "Raoul is going to be your wait staff tonight."

"Thank you Armaund." Sesshoumaru waited until Kagome had found a comfortable perch before walking around the table and sitting across from her. "We await your creations."

Armaund left and Kagome waited until Raoul had also left before leaning forward. "Are they…"

"Yes, you are free to talk in here." He glanced at the flap just as Raoul walked back through. "Besides, they are both moth youkai, they hear everything."

Raoul looked up sharply at the mention that he was a youkai and then had to laugh at himself. Bowing deeply, he asked apology for blatantly eavesdropping and then proceeded to think on why Sesshoumaru trusted this…human.

Sesshoumaru knew what he was thinking, he did not need to be a mind reader. Waiting until Raoul was closer, he whispered. "Things in this world are not as they appear, you must never forget that." Raoul realized that Sesshoumaru was speaking to him, and nodded his head in understanding.

Their first course was a tofu and coconut milk soup. It was lightly spiced and the sweetness of the coconut combined with the spiciness of the curry made for a very delectable treat. Over a raisin salad, Sesshoumaru asked her how work was going and how her family was doing. Kagome told him that Souta and Hitomi had finally set a wedding date for seven weeks from today, and that her mother was very stressed about the event.

She finished up just as the main dishes appeared. There were many small bowls, each holding a different type of food. Some held rice noodle concoctions while others held meat and vegetable medleys. A big bowl of rice was placed in the middle of the table and the small bowls were arranged around it. When Raoul was done, he refilled their water and wine glasses then bowed out to stand on the other side of the door and await Sesshoumaru's command to enter. It was a common gesture, and was a way of granting privacy while allowing for excellent service.

They both put small amounts of everything on their plates and proceeded to eat in the traditional method, with their fingers. The food was very good, and Kagome tried a little of everything before looking up at Sesshoumaru. He knew what was coming, that was one reason why he had chosen this place to eat. Having watched InuYasha's little band of misfits over the years, he knew that Kagome had a curiosity streak a mile wide. Sure enough, the one question she asked would satisfy that demon in her soul.

"Sesshoumaru, would you mind explaining to me how over the last five hundred years, demons have adapted to live alongside humans?"

This was not a one-word answer question, and Sesshoumaru took a few minutes to collect his thoughts.

**A/N: **I apologize for all the edits last week, I was fixing the issues people told me about. I hope everyone had a great week! I thoroughly enjoyed my vacation, no cell and no internet for five days. And for anyone who thought I was poking fun at the reviewers, that was the farthest thing from my mind. I like to read about how I can improve and I was not being sarcastic, that was genuine appreciation. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next Monday… -TK


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

Kagome waited patiently while Sesshoumaru gathered his thoughts. It was hard, she wanted to remind him of her question, just in case he forgot. However, patience finally paid off.

"After the Shikon no Tama was completed and everything had been set right, there was a singular period of peace." He picked up his glass and took a small sip of wine before continuing. "Naraku no longer existed, and Kikyo had finally found rest. The tormented soul of Kohaku had been released, and your monk, Miroku, was finally cured of his cursed hand."

He noticed a tear slide down Kagome's face at the mention of Kohaku's death, but she wanted to know. "I only admit this to you because I realize the importance of your relationship with the demon slayer. The monk gave up his vows of monkdom to take a wife, and the demon slayer stopped her wandering for the stability of a family." He breathed deeply and looked at her. "I watched their union from a distance, both the actual ceremony as well as their future." As another tear traced its way down her cheek, he gently reached forward and removed it. "There is no need for these tears." He rubbed his fingers together, slightly curious about why a woman who had survived her life, would cry over the dead.

"They had years and children to soften their sorrow. At last count, they had three boys and a girl, all of which showed the tenacity of the demon slayer and the mischievousness of the monk. I did not watch past their lives, but they left quite a legacy. The fox child stayed in that village until he decided to wander." He picked up another bite of food, trying to figure out how to explain the next part.

"Shippou?" Kagome held her breath. "He is alive?"

"I do not keep tabs on individuals, but I have not heard of his death." Her sigh resonated in the little room and Sesshoumaru lightly shook his head as he heard the moth youkai step in to make sure everything was okay. At the gesture, Raoul went back to his post. "But that is not what you asked me." Her blue eyes were misty as she looked at him.

"I am sure you are aware of Japan's violent political upheavals, the end of the Shogunate, the beginnings of democracy, and the eventual capitalist regime we currently abide by." As she shook her head, he continued. "During the last few years before the Tokugawa Shogunate, the armies had started eradicating free-roaming youkai to reduce threats to their lands. Being of superior intelligence, I quickly determined that if we were to subjugate our youkai appearances and take up trades, the armies would not seek us out. I met with all of the lords and we agreed to behave as ningens until we could again roam free."

Kagome had been eating silently, but couldn't stop from asking. "But you said that everyone would take up trades."

"Yes, each of us took up trades that were commiserate with what we had natural talent for. In the beginning of those days, some youkai were still hunted because they refused to work and show that they were not a threat. Others kept their word and the result is that some of us have quite lucrative businesses now."

"So, what did you do?"

"I became a swordsman."

Her eyes became huge. "You became a sword for hire?"

"No, a swordsmith. I made swords." He took another sip of wine. "Your race is very violent. Individuals are always looking for better weapons. I was good with metal."

"And Totousai?"

Sesshoumaru negligently waved a hand. "Oh, he is around somewhere. His cow died and he went into mourning for a while. I beat him out of it; but he was old when I was born, and he is even older now." At her confused look, he continued. "Totousai taught me his skill. I was and will never be of the level he was at the height of his abilities, but I was not looking to make legendary swords. I was only looking for a way to show my usefulness to your kind." He sighed when she continued to look at him strangely. "Kagome, Totousai is very old. He sits around and reminisces about the ancient days. He is not strong enough to wield the mace any longer, but he is still alive. Is that good enough for you?"

She nodded and smiled. "Hai. I will quit asking questions now."

He reached forward to place a slice of orange between her lips. "I seriously doubt that, but no one says I have to answer."

She glared at him as she chewed. His action would have been sexy if he had not done it merely to shut her up. They finished their meal and Sesshoumaru stood, holding a hand out to help her up. She hesitated before grabbing his hand and then blushed as he misconstrued her reasoning. "Ano, I'm not avoiding you." She leaned really close. "I don't know what I do in order to pay for dinner."

He snorted. "Did you seriously believe this Sesshoumaru would let you buy his dinner?"

"But, you said…"

"That was my temper speaking. You do not buy my dinner, and there is no check."

She was tempted to be angry, but instead she sighed. Turning to look at him, she bowed. "Thank you Sesshoumaru-sama for dinner. It was delightful."

He took her hand again and they walked out of the restaurant. As Michael closed the door of the limo, he turned to look at her. "You are welcome. Thank you for dining with me."

The drive back to the house was silent, each was full of their own thoughts. When the car pulled up to her door, Sesshoumaru exited and then reached a hand back in to help her out. He walked her to the steps and waited while she unlocked her door. Expecting the door to be shut quietly in his face, he was surprised when warm arms wrapped around his waist and a gentle kiss was placed on his cheek. "Arigatou Gozaimasu." (formal thank-you) Before he could react, she was gone and the lock was quietly clicking in place.

Michael was standing at the door as Sesshoumaru reached the car. Just as Michael started to open his mouth to say something about Kagome, Sesshoumaru growled at him. _'__Okay, so he doesn't want to talk.'_ Quietly he ushered his boss back into the car and started the drive home.

Sesshoumaru was so full of his own thoughts that he did not even realize they had started the trip until Michael stopped in front of his home. Strangely concerned by his discontent at the way the evening ended, Sesshoumaru exited the car and walked straight to his room; not stopping long enough to acknowledge Jaken, who stood just inside the door.

Jaken turned to follow, he had messages to deliver; but Michael stopped him with a soft hand on his shoulder. At Jaken's puzzled look, Michael just grinned. "Leave him alone tonight toad, he has a woman on his mind, and it may drive him over the edge before he admits his feelings."

Jaken nodded and they went on their way, ready to support their boss as he discovered the joys and agonies of love.

**A/N:** Ah, I so hope everyone had a great week. Again, thank you for your patience last week with the update coming out 2 days late. Please, I hope each of you enjoyed this chapter. Until next week… -TK


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

When Kagome arrived at work on Monday, there were four women waiting on her. All of them started talking at once. Holding up her hand for silence, she pointed at Yuka. "Speak."

"Oh my gosh, he's so cute! Where did you meet him?"

Confused, Kagome cut her off and pointed at Kaori. "What was the restaurant like? I've always wanted to eat there."

Beginning to get an idea, she skipped Jean and pointed at Kathyrin. "I'm just glad you two are still together. Is he any good in bed?"

Jean interrupted. "Who cares. With a body like that…" She held up the newspaper and stared at the front page.

"Give me that!" Grabbing the paper, Kagome looked at it. The headlines were clear. _'__Software Mogul, Seth Shujin dines again with the mysterious Kagome. Could it be he is harboring feelings for this beauty?' _"They called me a beauty?" The picture was taken just as Sesshoumaru handed her into the limo. It did look quite romantic.

Turning, she walked into the building, ignoring the chatter coming from the women around her. As she got to the elevator, she looked up. "He's only a friend, so don't be disappointed if this is all you get."

"Oh honey, we just hope that's not all YOU get." Kathyrin grinned wildly while leading the other girls off to start their day. Kagome looked at the picture again and dreaded talking with her mother in the morning.

ssssss

Sesshoumaru woke up with a nasty disposition, and a headache. The nasty disposition was caused by the half-empty bottle of Japanese Whiskey he had started to help him relax, while the headache was a common side effect of being around Kagome. Not willing to investigate too closely, but knowing that a little release would fix the situation, Sesshoumaru sat up and swung his feet over the side of the bed. His watch read 8:45 and he was glad he owned his own plane so he could be late.

He tried to act as if everything was normal, but certain employees would not let it be. As he sat down at the table, he looked over to see Michael reading the newspaper. He was quite auspiciously reading a section about world government, something Michael loathed. However, by reading section A7, Michael allowed the picture on the front page to show quite clearly. Turning to the maid that brought his plate in, Sesshoumaru nodded before turning back to his chauffer. "Must be a very slow day in the news."

Michael looked over the paper. "Good morning. He turned the page and pretended to keep reading. "Actually, there has been a lot of newss in here." He looked slyly at his boss. "But ssome newss iss just bigger than otherss." Closing the paper and folding it, he started to put it on the table. "Oh look, you're on the front page." Setting it on the table, Michael started on his eggs. "Mmmm, eggss. You know that ssnake youkai LOVE eggss."

"Yes. And Inu-youkai LOVE raw meat." Sesshoumaru continued eating, not stopping when Michael looked at him askance. "I am going to be leaving for Houston shortly. We are not quite done with closing negotiations."

Michael stood, tucking the paper under his arm. "I undersstand." He headed out to the limo, stopping in his tasks long enough to put the paper in the backseat for Sesshoumaru to peruse on his way to the plane.

Sesshoumaru finished his meal and walked upstairs long enough to pack for another business trip. In the process, he picked up his discarded shirt from last night. Quickly holding it up to his nose, he inhaled Kagome's scent from when she had hugged him. Relaxing slightly, he threw the shirt in the hamper before finishing his packing.

**A/N:** Boy I hope everyone had a great week. I also hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter, even though it was what I call a transition chapter - one that moves the story from point A to point B but isn't really exciting in itself. Please have a safe week, thank you to all of you who have reviewed, and/or put me on your watch lists, I am honored by all of the above.

On that note, sadly… I cannot honor one reviewer's request to make longer chapters. The chapters are minimum 1,700 words and up, but average around 2,000 – in Winword®. And the story is complete. So unless I'm doing a rewrite to fix a flaw, chances are good that the chapters will stand at their current lengths. Maybe my next story will be longer, although my historical data is pretty consistent. I try to make longer chapters, but I cannot add words well, they just sound like…extra words when I do it. Gomen Nasai. -TK


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

By Thursday morning, Kagome decided to admit that maybe demons didn't know the unwritten rules of dating. Especially the three-day rule. Maybe it was because they had much longer lives, three days didn't seem natural to them. "Or maybe he's just an insufferable man and I should quit worrying about it." Realizing she needed both caffeine and sugar to feel better, she stopped by the new local coffee shop to get a caramel latte. The shop was owned by an American, and when she stepped through the doors the owner's eyes widened perceptibly.

"Oh my gosh, it _is_ You!" The owner wiped her hands dry and walked around the counter to stand in front of Kagome. Neither realized they were speaking English.

"Excuse me?"

"You're that girl that Seth Shujin is che.e.e.e…errr" Suddenly her face reddened and she bowed slightly. "Forgive me." Pasting a smile, she looked at Kagome. "What would you like to have?"

Kagome grabbed her arm stopping her retreat. "The rest of that sentence."

The woman gestured at the menu. "How about a mocha cappuccino with an almond biscotti?" At Kagome's hard look, the woman went back to the menu. "A green tea with a carrot muffin instead?" Kagome continued to stare the woman down. Finally the woman's shoulders dropped. "Fine. Why don't you sit at the counter, I'll wait on the rest of these customers…" She pointed at the three people in line behind Kagome, "then we'll talk. But first, what do you want to drink?"

For the next ten minutes, Kagome sat at the counter sipping her hot caramel latte, but not really tasting it. Just as she was getting ready to explode, the woman walked back around the counter bringing a leaf of papers with her. She sat down in the chair next to Kagome.

"How do you speak English so well?"

"I went to college in America."

"Oh. First, my name is Lucy Marten. I'm from Texas, and my brother Thomas buys, scans and emails me my favorite magazines when they come out so I can keep up with my hometown of Houston." She held out a stapled group of papers. "This was waiting for me this morning in my email." She flipped to page four and held it up for Kagome to see.

"Monica Holmes Hooks Up With Japanese Computer Mogul, Seth Shujin." In full color was a beautiful redhead hanging on the arm of a very straight walking Sesshoumaru.

Lucy could feel the anger build around Kagome and if she had been an anime character, Lucy was sure her bangs would have darkened her face and waves would have radiated around her head. "WHO IS MONICA HOLMES?"

"She's a well known actress in America. Her hometown is Houston." She looked at the picture. "Maybe it's not what it looks like."

"I'm going to Osuwari his ass."

"Excuse me?"

Kagome smiled, a bead of sweat forming at her hairline. "Oh, nothing." Grabbing her coffee, she left a thousand yen (about 7 dollars). "Can I take that with me?" She pointed at the printout.

"Oh, well, sure. But your drink wasn't that expensive." Lucy started to follow Kagome to give her the change, but stopped when Kagome turned back around.

"Keep it, consider it a tip for a tip." Kagome stomped off and didn't stop until she'd marched right past all of the nosy people at work and was locked in her control room with the VR headset in her hand. Looking at it in anger, she started to throw it down. However, when she realized that breaking the headset wouldn't do anything to hurt Sesshoumaru, she laid it down gently and started to cry.

It was a really long rest of the day before she could get out of the office and hide her head in the figurative sand. Just as she was dropping off to sleep, the phone rang. "Hello?"

Sesshoumaru frowned, she didn't sound right on the phone. "Kagome."

She hung up on him and turned her back to the phone. It immediately rang again and she picked it up.

"I will be home tomorrow, how about we…" The phone died again. "Dammit it to hell!" He hit redial and waited. She picked up on the third ring.

"I don't ever want to speak to you again." This time she left the phone off the hook so he couldn't call back. She could hear him yelling in the phone, something he NEVER did, and she couldn't take anymore. Getting up off of the bed, she walked to the closet and grabbed her jacket. The door clicked behind her as she exited the apartment, Sesshoumaru still yelling at her to pick up the phone.

It took Sesshoumaru a few minutes to calm down. His blood beast was pulling at its leash, making it harder to find control than normal. He did not know what was wrong with Kagome and he was so out of control that he could not think straight. Several scenarios popped into his head, starting with her finding someone new and ending with her deciding that he had moved so slowly that she could not handle it anymore. Needing some fresh air in order to calm down, he left his hotel room, hands in his pockets as he walked down the hallway. Deciding to take the stairs, he had opened the door when a soft voice stopped him.

"Mr. Shujin."

He turned to see his dinner partner of earlier that week. "Hello Mrs. Holmes." He bowed politely, trying to keep his frustration under check.

"My husband thanks you for keeping me company the other night at dinner."

He nodded and held the door. "Are you headed downstairs?"

She looked at him funny. "Are you crazy? You want me to hike forty-two stories in these shoes?" She turned a pretty ankle up, showing 3" heels."

He shrugged. "You are taking the elevator then."

"Mmmm." She bumped his shoulder. "Want me to wait on you at the bottom? I could use a mimosa, and a friendly face. Yesterday's shoot was not pleasant and my husband's company extended his trip by two more days." She turned towards the elevator and pressed the button. "Oh, I almost forgot…I need to tell you something important." The doors opened and she stepped in, turning to look at him. "I'll see you at the bottom, I'll be waiting in the bar."

Sesshoumaru waited until the doors to the elevator closed, then smiled. _Finally, a challenge worthy of this Sesshoumaru._ Taking off down the stairs with his demon speed, he exited the stairwell, walked over to the elevator, and waited for his new friend to arrive. Looking bored instead of excited that he had proven he was faster than even an express elevator, he secretly cataloged the look of surprise on her face when the doors opened and he was leaning against a column.

Monica blinked twice before exiting. "Uh, how did…" She turned to look behind her, than looked over at the door to the staircase to see that it was completely closed. "Impossible."

Taking her hand and placing it on his arm, he headed towards the bar. "I was always the fastest runner in my family." They walked into the bar area to find a small table. Although it was slightly smoky, the music was quite relaxing. He had become quite fond of the American breakfast, so he ordered a plate and waited for his friend to start talking. She looked nervous, wringing her hands. Finally she took a quick swallow of her drink and smiled at him.

"I don't really know how to say this Seth, but there's a price to fame in America."

"And that would be…" He took a quick sip and looked at her out of lazy eyes.

She opened her purse and pulled out a magazine. Opening to page 4, she turned it around so he could see it. "Do you have a wife or girlfriend in Japan who might see this? It came out yesterday."

He took in the headline and the picture of her holding his arm. "Mmm. That explains a lot."

She gently placed her hand on his arm. "I'm so sorry. If I'd known that going to eat with a co-traveler would cause problems…"

"We have the same problem in Japan. If she is any kind of woman…" Anger was beginning to build that Kagome would think he was so shallow as to pick up a woman in every town he visited. The waiter brought his meal, but he only picked at the plate while Monica looked on.

"Oh Seth, you better tell me what happened. Woman aren't cut and dried like you're thinking." She had a concerned smirk on her face.

Deciding it could not hurt, he told her that the woman he had taken out the previous weekend hung up on him when he called this morning. "Actually, she did not actually hang up."

"Huh?" Monica's green eyes widened. "She did or didn't hang up?"

"She just put the phone down and walked away. I heard the shoji screen close behind her while I was yelling in the phone for her to pick up."

Monica chucked evilly. "Oh my. This is WONDERFUL!" Suddenly she leaned forward. "Can I use that in one of my stories?" Besides acting, she also wrote a romantic comedy script for a major network.

"I care not. Is it funny?" Americans were so unusual sometimes.

"International calls stop only when both parties hang up the phone."

"I see." Although he showed no outward display of emotion, Monica caught the tell-tale sign of anger when his right cheek twitched slightly.

She couldn't hold it any more. She laughed heartily, catching the eye of several men in the bar. The couple looked strange, the man with long silver hair glaring at the beautiful redhead who was laughing hysterically. "Mr. Shujin, please quit making me laugh. We're going to get in trouble in a minute."

Breathing slowly, trying to keep some semblance of sanity, he looked at her. "I have done nothing funny."

"It's a good thing you're rich. That phone call is going to cost a fortune. I hope she's worth it." At his unconscious look, she smiled deeply before calling a waiter over and ordering some toast. "I hate to say this, but you'd better let me write a letter to take back with you."

He thought for a few moments. "If she does not trust me…" He grudgingly shifted away from the table as the waiter sat down her order.

Opening the butter, she liberally smeared her bread and took a bite. "It has nothing to do with trusting you." She sighed. "It has everything to do with jealousy." She smiled tightly. "Okay, maybe a little trust. Have you ever given her a reason to doubt you?" Swallowing, she chased the dry bread with a small sip of mimosa.

Sesshoumaru thought for a moment than sighed. "I have never given her a reason to trust me." He sighed. "Why am I telling you all of this? I never open myself up to anyone."

"Mmm, I don't know." She leaned forward on her hand, looking at him with sexy eyes. "But maybe you need to act like this around her."

"I am Japanese." He acted as if that was the answer to the universe. Picking up his coffee, he finished it, deciding he had enough conversation with this strange woman.

"And when did your nationality have anything to do with sharing your feelings with the woman you love?" She hummed lightly as she dusted her fingertips off with the napkin. "And it's obvious to me that you DO love her."

As if her words were a prod in his ass, Sesshoumaru suddenly stood, threw a twenty on the table and bowed slightly. "Mrs. Holmes, thank you for two pleasant days. I will take what you have to say into consideration. I must leave now, my plane takes off in two hours and I have a few more things to pack." Turning, he stalked out of the bar hoping to leave his newfound emotions behind.

Smiling goofily, she waved at the waiter to bring the check. "What an idiot!"

**A/N:** I hope each of you had a great week! I did. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and talk to you next week. -TK


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Halo3 belongs to Bungie Studios and Microsoft. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

When someone knocked on the door, Souta grumbled and stuck his head under the pillow. A sharp finger poked him in the side and a shrill voice interrupted his sleep. "Oh no. Strong, sexy man gets door at 3am. Get up!"

Grumbling about fishwives, he threw the blanket back and stood. As he started to open the door, a pair of boxers thwacked his ass. "Thanks." He leaned down and picked them up, making Hitomi wish he were taking them off instead.

"Hurry. There's an animal in here that wants some petting." She pulled the covers up to her chin to hide the blush of embarrassing herself.

"Meow!" He winked before walking out of the room.

Two minutes later, Hitomi caught the distinct sound of a teapot clanging from in the kitchen. Then it whistled, than there was silence. Curiosity getting the best of that cat, she threw a robe on over her shift and walked out of the room. Peeking around the corner, she was shocked to see a mostly naked Souta scrunched up against the end of the futon with a woman in his lap. She was just about to walk in and rail at him when she caught the sobbing. Taking a closer look, she realized the woman with her arms around Souta's naked waist, crying on his bare chest, was Kagome.

Her startled breath caused Souta to look up and he brought a finger up to his mouth to tell her to be quiet. Giving her a speaking look that let her know he'd tell her everything when it was over, he cut his eyes in the direction of the bedroom and Hitomi caught the hint that he wanted her to go back to bed and let him take care of his sister. She blew him a kiss before heading back to bed and hopefully back to sleep.

Souta wondered when his sister had become so fragile. She'd always been the strong one, the one to willingly jump into a well and fight monsters in an attempt to correct the mistake made when she'd broken the time barrier and the Shikon jewel. However, somewhere between that last trip and today, she had weakened in spirit. _InuYasha_ had to be the root of all of this. "Sis, tell me what's wrong, please!" He pulled her face up with one hand and wiped the hair out of her eyes with the other.

Tears continued to run down her cheeks as she opened liquid eyes to look at him. "Oh Souta, what's wrong with me?"

He pulled her close, dragging her almost into his lap and wrapping both arms tightly around her. "Sis, there's nothing wrong with you. Did InuYasha hurt you, or are you crying over Sesshoumaru?"

She hiccupped. "Does it matter?"

He laughed roughly. "Oh yeah, it matters. If it's InuYasha you're crying about, I'll just hold you until you're done. That's past, and you've already survived it. But, if Sesshoumaru has harmed you in any way, I will kill the bastard. I wasn't old enough to kill InuYasha when he hurt you; but I'm more than old enough now."

Kagome laughed through her tears, and put one hand up to his face. "Souta, my sweet little brother. You would take on the world for me wouldn't you?"

"Yeah sis. You and Hitomi, but for different reasons of course." He blushed, trying not to think about his lover while he held his sister in his lap.

Suddenly her eyes turned deadly serious. "You have to give me a promise Souta." She gently pushed a clump of hair out of his face.

"Depends on what that promise entails." He hated when she asked for promises, no good ever came of that.

"No, you just have to give me a blind promise, trusting me to know what's best."

He'd never seen his sister so serious, not even when she'd been facing a future without the man she'd sacrificed her past for. "Fine. I give you my promise."

She held up her pinky, looking at him with a hint of a smile. "It's gotta be a pinky promise, you know that those are never renege-able."

Souta smiled at her, curling his pinky around hers. "Pinky promise. Whatever you say."

She shook her head, the promise being final. "If Sesshoumaru ever hurts me, you NEVER go after him. He'll kill you for laughs."

Souta looked down at their crossed pinkies. He HATED pinky promises. "Kagome…"

"You PROMISED." She threw herself against him, squeezing his ribs because she was hugging him so tight. Suddenly he felt wet tears run down his chest. "I've already lost so many people close to me, I couldn't stand to lose you too." She sobbed brokenly. "You HAVE to keep this promise. Don't mess with that monster."

"Ah Kagome, you're going to make me cry if you don't stop this." He struggled against her and she loosened her hold. "Let me tuck you in bed. In the morning, we're going to sit down and hash this out once Hitomi has left for work. We can't really talk about it now, can we?"

She hung her head and backed away, standing up. "No."

When Souta stood up, he put an arm around her and led her to the spare room. He opened the closet and pulled out the futon mattress, laying it on the ground before going to retrieve sheets. When the bed was made, he pulled the covers back and patted the mattress. "Okay big sis, time for you to go to bed. You're exhausted, Hitomi's wired, and I need both of you to go to sleep so I can play Halo3."

She chuckled at that, smacking him lightly on the shoulder. "Liar."

"Yeah. But I learned everything I know from you." When she had crawled between the sheets, he pulled them up around her shoulders and lightly kissed her forehead. "Sleep well Kags, we'll get this straightened out in the morning." She was out before he reached the shoji screen. _Well, she's asleep. If I'm lucky, Hitomi won't be._ Opening the door to his room, he was greeted by the best sight in the world. One hot, willing sex slave, custom made to fulfill his every desire.

"Is Kagome going to be okay?" Except that one desire where he wants his wife to keep her curiosity to herself.

"Yes. Ready for bed?" He waggled an eyebrow at her and walked over to the bed.

She giggled and ran a single finger down his chest. "Not until we wash off your sister's tears. She made quite a towel out of you." Sitting up onto her knees, she pulled a damp cloth off of the bedside table. "Lay down already." She pushed his shoulders and he went with the gentle force. As she swept the washcloth over his chest and down his stomach, he thought about how lucky he was that this woman was going to be his wife in a few short weeks.

"Hitomi…" He stilled her hand and took the washcloth from her.

"Yes?" She turned her head and looked at him curiously.

"The best way to remove tears is to laugh them off. What say I tickle your fancy and let you return the favor with me?"

She blushed. "Okay. But can we do it without all of these readers?"

He turned and looked at the nosy voyeurs. Smiling evilly, he turned out the light, causing the chapter to abruptly end.

**A/N: **What is it about the time change that makes me want to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier? Either way, it'll eventually get sorted out. I hope each of you had a great week last week and that you enjoyed this chapter, although it wasn't nearly as exciting as last chapter. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! For those of you out there with a story in your head, write it down and post it. Okay so you might get a flame or constructive criticism. Don't take it personally, just be thankful someone thought enough about your writing to tell you what you were doing wrong so you could fix it. That means the reviewer really believes your writing can be improved. You never know what you can accomplish until you actually try. Alright, enough from me. Please have a great week everyone. -TK


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

The next morning, Souta saw Hitomi off to work, than called in sick. If she found out he was cutting work to take care of his sister, she would have realized how serious the situation was. After that, her kind and caring nature would kick in and he'd never find out the real reason behind Kagome's tears. Once everything was taken care of, he opened the door to his sister's temporary room and walked in to wake her up.

He took a moment to study the woman who had been his invisible support for years. His mom was great, but Kagome always found time during her home visits to help him with those items that he couldn't talk to mom about, like his first attempt at asking Hitomi out. Smiling over that old memory, he got a demon glint in his eye. Although his big sis helped him, she was also a big pain a lot of the time. This would be a good opportunity to get even.

The apartment was usually a little cool in the mornings. Souta always wore his tabi socks around the house, but today he'd purposely left them off just to do this. He walked around the bed, noticing that her hair fanned out very elegantly against the pillows. Hoping Sesshoumaru hadn't seen her this vulnerable yet, he stopped on the far side of the bed. Gently lifting the covers, he crawled under; but not close enough to touch her. Then he suddenly stuck his cold feet against her warm thighs, causing her to screech and jump out of bed, clutching her heart and glaring at her brother.

"SOUTA! You scared the life out of me!" She leaned forward, pointing her finger at him as if he was eight again. "And your feet are FREEZING!" Seeing that he was holding back laughter so hard that he was crying, she glared at him and put her hands on her hips. "YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!"

That was the final straw. Deep masculine laughter roared through the room. Suddenly they were both laughing, remembering time after time when one or the other played a wakeup prank. Souta soon found himself leaning against Kagome as they both sat on the bed, trying to catch their breaths. "Hey sis, you remember that time that InuYasha stayed with us and I came in to wake you up not knowing you had given him your bed for the night?"

Not thinking about all the pain that happened after InuYasha had become a full human, Kagome smiled. "Yeah, remember being chased through the house by a very wet, very mad dog demon?"

He chuckled. "I thought he was going to kill me!"

She pushed his shoulder. "He was trying to. I had to Osuwari him in order to get him to calm down. Remember that time I let Kiori into your room when you were fifteen, just because you'd made me mad the night before?"

Souta blushed and ran a hand over the back of his head. "Heh. Yeah. I remember that."

Kagome realized he wasn't laughing anymore. "Uh, care to clue me in as to why you're not laughing?"

"Well, I woke up with a hard-on, and guess who was sitting right beside me." He blushed and looked at the bed.

"Uh…" Suddenly Kagome howled. "You are kidding me!" Her brother was turning even redder. "What did she say?"

Souta chuckled. "She told me it was okay, that her father had informed her that all men looked like that in the morning because they had to keep their 'things' in a sleeve so they didn't get bent during the night."

Kagome's mouth was hanging open. "What?"

"Yeah. I thought that was the end of it until about 11th grade. Our science teacher partnered us together. One day she came into class and couldn't look me in the eye. For the rest of the semester she worked with me without ever making eye contact. She'd look at her notes, she'd look at her friends, but she wouldn't look at me." He sighed. "Then one day I saw her boyfriend rub up against her and I realized that she'd learned the truth." He grinned. "To this day, she blushes whenever she sees me, and doesn't say much more than hello."

"Well, I guess the cold feet thing is small in comparison."

"Yeah, but I think calling up Sesshoumaru last month makes us even." At her dark look, he mentally smiled. _'__Gotcha. It's dogbutt's big brother now. Wonder what he did.'_ "Does your company know you're not going to be in today?"

Kagome looked at her watch and eep'd as she jumped off of the bed. "I've gotta call them and tell them I'll be late."

Souta grabbed her arm. "Kags, just call in sick today. Spend the day with your little brother. I'm getting married in less than two months and you know that our practice of hanging out will basically be over."

He looked so forlorn that she couldn't say no. "Okay, where do you want to go?"

"Man, there is this pizza joint I've been wanting to try out, but Hitomi says the thought of squid and sausage pizza just…"

"Gross!" She stuck her tongue out in disgust before heading out of the room to use the phone.

"How can you say that? You've eaten grilled demon flesh, that's GROSS!" He followed her out, nagging like the little brother he was.

She glared at him for a second before starting to talk into the phone. "Hello, this is Kagome Higurashi. I've caught some kind of bug…" she pointed at Souta and winked. "Yes, maybe tomorrow? I'm very nauseous and my head is pounding." _'__Both are true, my head hurts from so much crying and Souta just grossed me out with the thought of squid AND sausage on pizza.'_ "Arigato Gozaimasu." She hung up and smiled at Souta. "Okay, pizza it is, but I'm ordering one of my own." He ruffled her hair and pointed at the shower. Suddenly she turned to look at him. "And demon meat isn't too bad with wasabi."

"Gross!" Laughing, he walked into the living room to play on his game until his sister was ready to go.

They both had to admit, as they fought over the last piece, that squid and sausage pizza was not as bad as it sounded. Laughing over their earlier discussion, they barely noticed when a black-haired man at the other end of the curved bar looked up at them before turning back to his newspaper. However, a few seconds later, he looked over at them again, and Souta caught his glance. Not recognizing the man, Souta leaned over and bumped his sister's shoulder.

"What?"

"Don't look now, but I think you have another admirer." She blinked and looked at him.

"Huh?" He nodded towards the man hiding behind the newspaper again and Kagome looked up just in time to catch his violet gaze. As Souta looked on, Kagome paled and started shaking.

"Sis! Are you okay?" He turned to look at the man, but the man was no longer sitting at the bar. Just as Kagome started to slide out of the tall chair she was sitting in, the man gently wrapped a hand around her waist and caught her.

"Oh no you don't. You come back to me and tell me who you are." The tall man gently shook her shoulders, getting a groan for his troubles.

"Excuse me sir, but who are you?" The woman's date was glaring at him.

"Logan Dunan."

"The actor?" The man nodded once. "But aren't you blonde?"

Logan laughed. "Natural. But I'm in character."

"As what?" Souta had a suspicion but he waited to hear it from the man himself.

"I'm working on a Yasha Inutai film. I've wanted to play in one of those for years, and this is my chance." He smiled as he felt the woman in his arms shift. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Naraku Onigumo."

Souta watched in horror as the man suddenly flew backwards through the plate glass window.

**A/N:** Poor Kagome, just can't seem to stay out of trouble. Thank you for the wonderful reviews last week. Oh, Moving Forward broke 10,000 reads! Wow, I don't really have the words except to say "Thank you! for reading my stories." I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please have a great week and try to stay healthy. There's major funk going around here so I'm sure it's going around other places too. Later. -TK


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Mitsumo Pizza Parlour is an actual restaurant in Tokyo and Twiknham makes no claims on it either. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

For weeks after 'the incident,' people talked about the strange occurrence at the Mitsumo Pizza Parlour. The production company glossed it over as a stunt after Yasha Inutai realized Kagome was the culprit. However, the three people who were involved would never forget.

One minute Logan Dunan was standing there, holding a luscious specimen of the Japanese female, the next he'd been thrust through the front window like the villain of a superhero movie. Lying on the sidewalk, glass raining on his body, he wondered how the hell that woman had shoved him so hard. _And what was that pink light?_

Souta was yelling at Kagome to stop, that she'd only heard part of the conversation. Standing in front of her before she could summon another spirit ball, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in close to his body. Holding her shaking form, Souta rubbed her back and told her that the man wasn't _really_ Naraku, he was an actor.

"But he looks just like him." She was staring out the window at the man lying on the ground.

"He's in costume Kags." Before he could say anything further, the manager came running out from the back, waving his arms and asking who was going to pay for the window.

"I will." A deep sexy voice came from the area of the open window. 'Naraku' was standing there, wiping blood off of his cheek where a piece of glass had cut him. "It's the least I can do for scaring the lady." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye before opening his wallet and pulling out a credit card. "Just make sure I get a receipt please." Before he could sign the slip, the strange woman and man started towards the door. "If you leave without me, I will have you arrested for assault. I have questions, and I want some answers, dammit!"

Kagome and Souta froze, both looking at each other. Finally Souta smiled and nodded. "We'll wait."

"Souta, what…"

"Sssh. Let me take care of you for once. You always have to be so strong, why don't you let me show you just how strong your little brother has become." He still held her up with one arm around her waist. She'd not used her powers in a long time, and they had completely drained her.

Logan walked up to the odd couple. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Yes." He looked up at the man. "Are you going to be okay?"

Logan laughed and swiped his chin. "This little thing? Don't worry about it. I'll heal in no time." A limo pulled up and he opened the door. "Why don't you get in so we can talk in privacy."

"That's okay, we're fine walking…"

"Get in, NOW!" Logan waited until they were seated, then entered behind them and raised the privacy glass so the driver couldn't hear them. "What was that?"

Kagome looked at him. "Naraku…"

"No, Logan Dunan. I'm playing the part of a fictional character named Naraku Onigumo."

She shook her head and smiled. "That's right. He's dead."

Logan put his fingers up to the bridge of his nose. This woman was so confusing. "Listen lady, I'm playing in a fantasy movie about a ragtag group of people who are trying to defeat a really bad man. I play the villain."

"Yes, Naraku. He was created when Onigumo invited demons to posses his body in place for restoring his mobility."

"How do you know that? Have you read Inutai's script?"

Kagome closed her eyes, confused by having to mentally dance in both eras. Finally, she opened her eyes and nodded. "Yes, I've read his script. You've done a very good job of looking like my idea of his character."

"So, are you going to tell me how you threw me through a window?"

"Aikito." Souta had spoken up from his seat. "My sister is a master of aikito ki."

"Your sister?" He looked at both of them, than smiled. "I've heard of it, but I've never seen it done." He grabbed Kagome's hand. "I apologize for scaring you. Would you be willing to let me pay you back by going to dinner with me?"

Kagome pulled her hand free. "Are you going to knock me through a plate window?"

He laughed. "No. I just want to treat you to dinner. You, me, and my real eyes."

Remembering the reason she was out with Souta, she looked at the man in front of her and smiled. "Hai."

Souta frowned at her; but she ignored him, talking lightly with Logan all the way back to Souta's apartment. When Logan let them out, he smiled and said he'd pick Kagome up the next evening at 7pm for Sharika's Grill. Waving at the retreating vehicle, she was unprepared for grumpy boy.

"I think you're making a mistake." He was unlocking the door.

"I'm not in a relationship." She blushed as she said it. 'Besides, if I am, he's cheating on me. I don't see why I can't go out with Logan."

"Let's set aside the fact that your first instinct was to blast him back to hell…"

"We're not going there again." She stomped into the spare room and started putting her stuff together to go home.

"He's the spitting image of your worst nightmare, and Sesshoumaru is going to eat him alive when he finds out."

Kagome turned, putting her hands on her hips. "First, he's not going to care. Second, he won't find out unless YOU tell him." Whipping around and snatching up her bag, she stopped suddenly in front of him and gave him a hug and a quick peck on the cheek. "I'm angry at you right this minute, but I am proud of how strong you've become. Thanks for taking care of me today." She ruffled his bangs. "Tell Hitomi I am sorry for barging in on both of you like that."

"You don't need to apologize, it's not her place…yet." He blushed lightly.

"No, but it will be, as will you." She sighed. "I love you little brother." With that, she was gone, heading back to her apartment.

ssssss

Logan was actually humming as he walked back into the studio. A tough looking man with long black hair stopped him. "Where the hell have you been?"

Logan looked into the face of the writer, director and producer. "Eating lunch. What's it to you?"

"Your agent's been searching for you for an hour. Rumor has it that there was an explosion at the restaurant you ate at, and everyone around here has been busting our balls trying to find you." Yasha Inutai was furious with the man for causing so many problems. It was like he was dealing with Naraku all over again.

Logan smiled. "Yeah, I got pushed through a plate glass window by a woman who is an Aikito master."

"Eh? An Aikito master?"

Logan dropped down into a stance. "Yeah, Kami…Kami…Kizu…, just like in DBZ, but without all the yelling. One second I was telling her I was Naraku Onigumo, the next I was lying on the sidewalk, glass raining on me in prismatic drops."

"Huh." He turned to leave, but quickly whipped back around. "Did you get her name?"

"Yeah, Kagome."

"Dammit." He grabbed Logan's shirt. "Stay away from her. She's not your type."

"Jealous?" Logan pushed the shorter man away and straightened his shirt. "You're married, I don't see as how you have any right to tell me who I can and cannot see."

"Fine, go out with her. But you won't have a job when you get back." Yasha smirked at the younger man. He was older, and sneakier, and got what he wanted around here.

"You Asshole!" Logan was called to makeup and stalked off.

Suddenly remembering what the actor had said about an energy wave throwing him through a window, Yasha headed off to the restaurant to make sure everyone thought it was a stunt.

**A/N:** I hope this clears up the confusion for anyone who didn't get it last chapter. It made me happy that some didn't because I wanted to make you go "eh?" and some did! Thank you for all the reviews, I enjoyed reading each of them. I hope everyone had a great week last week and that you have a great week this week. This Thursday is US's Thanksgiving, so those of you celebrating around the world, Happy Thanksgiving! Please have a good week and I'll talk at you again next week. -TK


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

On Saturday morning, Kagome woke feeling even worse than Friday. She hadn't cried herself to sleep, but that Ki wave had sucked every ounce of energy out of her body. _'__I'm so glad I didn't kill him.'_ Pulling herself out of bed, she decided it was another caramel latte day for her.

Stopping at the coffee shop, she waved at Lucy, who waved furiously back. When she finally got to the front of the line, Lucy was almost dancing. "Oh girl, have I got good news for you!" She peeked at the two other customers in line, than sighed. "Do you have to leave immediately?"

"No, I have a few." Lucy's happiness was infectious and Kagome couldn't help but smile.

"Okay, you sit right over there, and I'll bring your drink with me. Caramel latte, right?" Kagome nodded. Lucy giggled as she shuddered. "I don't know how you drink all of that sugar." Seeing the rings under Kagome's eyes, she sighed. "Never mind, you probably need it to stay awake."

When Lucy walked around the counter, she held a cup of coffee in one hand and a stack of papers in the other. "Kagome, you are going to be so happy!" At Kagome's quizzical look, Lucy flipped to page 26. "They always print the corrections in the back, but you HAVE to read this."

In small letters, the article read: 'Last week's article about Monica Holmes and Seth Shujin is being rescinded. Due to inaccurate information about the two involved, we inadvertently printed an untrue article. Monica Holmes and her husband Richard came to the magazine explaining that Seth Shujin had been asked to attend dinner with Monica in Richard's place when he unexpectedly had to leave town to attend to business matters. The couple went on to state that Mr. Shujin has recently been seen in Tokyo with a lovely young woman and that they hoped the misprint would not cause problems for the new couple.'

Kagome looked up at Lucy, and thought she was going to burst into tears. "What is it?"

"I agreed to go out with another person because I thought he'd dumped me." She thought she was going to have a heart attack. "I've got to go." Leaving another thousand yen, she ran out the door, Lucy yelling at her that the next latte was free.

Kagome groaned all day, worried about the evening. When the spray of saffron blooms arrived, she was beginning to sweat. The saffron blooms still had the stigma's inside. She knew of only one man who was rich enough to obtain this arrangement, and she knew it wasn't Logan. As she opened the card, she knew her life was over. "They are a pittance in comparison to you. I will pick you up at 7:15, do not be late."

Kathyrin walked by and whistled. "Are those really saffron blooms?" When Kagome nodded her head, Kathyrin leaned near, noticing the stigmas were still intact. "Do you have any idea the cost of these flowers?"

"I'm not sure, but they're expensive with the saffron stigma inside." Kagome was very pale and fighting hard not to flee.

"Yeah, I don't think you can just buy them. I believe they actually have to be imported from India."

Kagome coughed. "What?" She looked at the card again _'__exactly WHAT did he mean by 'in comparison to you'?'_

"Is this from Seth?" She tried to grab the card from Kagome, but Kagome was quicker. "Ooooh. I want that man."

"He'll be at my house at 7:15pm… oh wait, I have an idea!" Running out of the office, she headed back to the coffee shop. Throwing open the door, she startled Lucy, who promptly fell off the bottom rung of the ladder she was standing on. "Lucy, can I ask you a personal question?" Bent over with her hands on her knees, Kagome wheezed as she worked to catch her breath.

"Sure, but what's the hurry?" Lucy smiled as a rare post-lunch customer came in. He was blonde with beautiful green eyes, and she couldn't help but smile a little brighter. "Can I help you?"

A deep sexy voice that Kagome had hoped to avoid answered. "Yes, I'm looking for orange pekoe tea. Everyone serves green tea around here, and I miss my native tea." Although she knew he spoke fluent Japanese, Kagome also knew this man wasn't from Japan. Scooting behind a display, she watched the interaction between the two, hoping it would go well.

"Yes, we have orange pekoe. Would you like it infused, or in loose leaf?" Lucy glimmered.

Logan could only stare. Kagome was pretty, but this woman was beautiful. "Loose. Are you from around here?"

Lucy stopped what she was doing and turned to look at him, her English heavily accented with her native tongue. "No more than you are."

Suddenly he bowed. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Logan Dunan from Sydney, Australia."

Lucy blushed and nodded her head. "And I'm Lucy Marten from Houston, Texas." They both chuckled and made time for a few minutes. Suddenly the door chimed and they came back to themselves. "Oh my, I have to get back to work." She handed him his bag of tea and the change to the money he'd given her while they were talking. Turning back to her new customer, she waved at him. "Have a great day Mr. Dunan."

Logan walked out, Lucy watching every step as his butt swayed in the tight pants he wore.

Kagome straightened up and prayed her switch would work. When the customer left, she smiled at Lucy. "Nice looking guy there."

Lucy looked at her with serious eyes. "Do you believe in love at first sight?" She held her hand over her heart. "Because I suspect Cupid just caught another sucker." Her color was high, showing her excitement at the thought.

"Not for me personally, but I've seen it happen to others." Kagome picked up a tin of Keemun and walked over to the counter. "Would you come to my place around 6:45 tonight for dinner? Wear something nice, we'll have a girl's night out." Lucy blinked. "Oh, and if I paid for this, would you wrap it and bring it with you? I need a gift for someone."

"Uh, sure. 6:45pm, your place."

Kagome scribbled directions then smiled. "And you can tell me all about that sexy man that just came in here and stole your heart." Before Lucy had a chance to respond, Kagome was gone.

The rest of Kagome's day was a breeze. Fate had conspired with her for a change, and things looked like they might actually work out well. Humming, she opened the door to her apartment and realized it was still trashed from when she left the other night. "Oh well, guess you have to pay the piper at some point." Walking over to the bed, she noticed the phone was still off the hook. Hanging it up and rolling up her sleeves, she set to work cleaning up for her guests.

**A/N:** I apologize for not getting the story out until after midnight last week. Unexpected emergency kept me from the computer. Thank you for the wonderful reviews and I hope everyone had a great week. Thank you for reading the latest installment. Until next week –TK.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

At 6:42, Lucy walked up to Kagome's apartment. Looking at the symbols on the apartment, than looking at the symbols on her map, she figured it was the right place. Although she spoke Japanese, she hadn't figured out Kanji yet. Walking up the two flights of stairs, she suddenly realized why Kagome had such thin legs. "It's all that walking she does!" A young lady out walking her dog stopped and looked strangely at the woman talking to herself in a foreign language. Lucy bowed lightly and asked pardon before scurrying on to Kagome's door.

Kagome had just put the pot on to boil when she heard a knock on the door. Hoping Lucy was on time, and Logan wasn't early; she opened the door and let her friend in. "Hey Lucy, thank you for coming by."

Lucy smiled and started to hand her the tin. "You're the first female to offer me friendship since I moved here two months ago. I'm just glad that I can share my evening with you."

Kagome waved the tin off, told her to hold on to it. She felt a little guilty because she'd only invited Lucy for an ulterior motive, that she hoped happened before Sesshoumaru arrived. Deciding to make it up to her new friend later, she nodded once and walked into the kitchen to start the process of making tea. "Come on in to the kitchen. The apartment is small, but I like it." Kagome took a second to turn off the stove.

Lucy looked around. She shared a house with another businesswoman and although her rooms were smaller, there were more of them. She unwrapped her scarf, the evenings were a little cool still, and took a seat at the little café table. "What are we drinking?"

Pulling the tin off of the shelf, Kagome looked at it. "Yunan. It's one of my favorites."

"Oooh. I haven't had that yet." Leaning forward, Lucy waved to see the can. "Golden Yunan, hand picked by Buddhist monks from the slopes of Mt. Fuji." She stopped. "Hey, this is in English."

"Yeah, and it's probably a bunch of bull. We grow tea in Shizouka, which is the prefecture that Mt. Fuji resides in. We do grow tea on the base of Mt. Fuji, so I guess we technically grow it on Mt. Fuji. But you were probably thinking the top of Mt. Fuji, right?" At Lucy's nod, she continued. "That's why this is misleading, but very romantic." She smiled at her friend while setting down two cups. "And speaking of romantic…"

A blush spread across Lucy's cheeks. "Oh girl, did you see that guy that came into my shop while you were hiding behind the case?"

"I wasn't hiding, I was looking for the Keemun." Kagome haughtily sipped her tea.

"Mmm, hmmm. Whatever. Anyways…his name is Logan Dunan. He's from Australia although he didn't really tell me what he's doing here." She fluttered her hands. "I can't really explain it, but it's like everything in me just opened up and said 'this one's mine.'" She mock growled at Kagome. "So that means 'hands off girl,' I saw him first."

Kagome laughed just as the doorbell rang.

As she stood, Lucy looked at her. "Are you expecting company?"

"Quite. Well, come on." Kagome walked around the corner with Lucy on her heels. Just as she got to the door, she turned to her friend. "I've no intentions of 'hands on'… but you _didn't_ see him first." With a flourish, she opened the door to show Logan standing there with a small spray of tulips and a very confused look on his face.

"Lucy? I…" Kagome was still standing behind the door, so Logan was trapped between what he expected and what he wanted. "Here, these are for you!" He held out the flowers.

"Oh, and this is for you." Lucy instinctively held out the tea tin. She suddenly remembered where she was at and looked at Kagome. "Uh…"

The phone rang as Kagome smiled and winked at her. Pushing them both towards the door, she waved. "Have a great time you two, see you later." Shutting the door in their faces before they had time to change their minds, she ran back to the phone. As she picked it up, she glanced at her watch and realized she had…seventeen minutes before Sesshoumaru would arrive.

Out in the hallway, two people looked at each other strangely. Logan smiled. "Well, I met Kagome at lunch, one day before I met you. But, I can definitely say that I'm pleased with this outcome."

Lucy slipped her hand in the crook of his arm. "Me too, but I have to pretend to be mad at you for a while since you did pick me up at the house of your scheduled date."

Logan leaned forward and caught her chin, giving her a very quick, hard kiss. "Okay, but you're only allowed to smack me, no aikito ki, okay?"

Confused but not particularly concerned, Lucy smiled and pulled him towards her favorite restaurant.

ssssss

Sesshoumaru sat outside of Kagome's apartment for thirty-six minutes before deciding to get out of the car. He spent most of the trip back from Houston thinking about what Monica said about him being in love. Finally he mentally admitted that he had _some_ type of feeling for Kagome, but that he was not ready to put any name to it stronger than friendship. Half of him nagged the other half that it was a copout, but the other half just swiped mental claws at the first half.

Thus conflicted, Sesshoumaru watched as a short woman walked up to Kagome's apartment. Reminding himself that he _had_ left a message stating she was to go out with this Sesshoumaru tonight, he relaxed. She probably just needed a cup of sugar or something. Then the tall blonde showed up. Leggy, wearing nice jeans and black boots, he looked out of place in Tokyo.

Watching the scene unfold, Sesshoumaru picked up the phone and dialed a number he refused to admit he knew by heart. Then he watched with the barest hint of glee as Kagome's shadow scrambled to answer.

"Hello?" Her voice held a hint of breathlessness.

"I thought I would stop and pick up a bottle of wine. What flavor is your preference?"

Kagome swallowed visibly. "Oh, do you really want to go to all that trouble? Why don't we just order a glass once we arrive at whichever restaurant you've chosen?"

There was no guilt or guile detectable in her voice and he smiled to himself. _'__She is not playing games. Not sure what that guy was doing going to her apartment, but at least she is not cheating on me.'_ "Fine, I will be there shortly." He started to hang up but a noise stopped him.

"Um, Sesshoumaru?"

"Hai?"

"I'm glad you're on your way." Kagome hung up the phone and figured she had about 5 minutes before Sesshoumaru showed up. Smiling brightly, she went to the window to make sure her friends had left. As she pulled back the curtain, she saw a tall white-haired man leaning against the hood of a Lexus sedan, hands negligently tucked into his pocket. Their eyes met and she could clearly see the smirk on his lips. Beginning to see red, she dropped the curtain back in place and went to the bedroom to grab her purse and slip on her shoes.

**A/N:** Bum, Bum, Bum…. Is Sesshoumaru going to get it? I hope everyone had a wonderful week. Thank you for the excellent reviews. Thank you for telling me about the Sydney issue, I learned something new this week. Please enjoy this chapter and I will update again in a week. -TK


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Hard Rock Café® is not the property of Twiknham either. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

When Kagome reached the car, she stopped and glared at Sesshoumaru. "You've been here the whole time haven't you?" She could almost feel the hair on the back of her neck bristle, she was so mad.

Sesshoumaru cast a glance down at her. Finally he responded. "I am trying to see how that has anything to do with anything."

"Aarg! You…you…you stand there and spy on me like I've done something wrong while it's YOU who's been galavan…" Suddenly she realized what was coming out of her mouth, and closed it with an audible snap.

"What were you going to say?" Sesshoumaru's eyes were slit dangerously thin.

"Er…" a blush covered her cheeks. "Nothing."

He turned and opened the car door, ushering her in. Closing it behind her, he walked around the car and prepared to drive.

Neither of them said anything as he drove. However, when they arrived, Kagome couldn't hold it any longer. "Pizza?"

"Is there a problem?" His hands rested lightly on the leather wheel as he turned to look at the feisty woman sitting beside him.

"That's what I had for lunch yesterday."

Sesshoumaru blinked. "Huh. How about a hamburger?" A small hand reached across the space, causing him to tense as it neared his face. "What are you doing to this Sesshoumaru?"

Kagome ignored his cold attitude and leaned closer, putting her hand lightly against his forehead. "Are you okay?" She slowly removed her hand, her fingers leaving last. "You don't feel too warm." He was just warm enough to give life to the yummy cologne he was wearing, something woodsy. It reminded her of times long past.

He shook his head, the beginnings of humor stirring in his soul. "Two weeks in Texas. I want one more hamburger before I go back to traditional."

"Oh." She fiddled with the edge of her jacket. "How was your trip?" Brown eyes did not rise to meet gold.

He waited until they had pulled into another restaurant parking lot to respond. "You tell me."

"Excuse me?"

Sesshoumaru leaned forward and snagged her chin, pulling her close enough for her to feel his breath on her upper lip. "Jealous Bitch is a good color on you." He nipped her lower lip painfully hard before releasing her.

She didn't quite know how to react. Part of her was pissed as hell for what he said, but the other part wanted to taste him again. She decided to split the middle and go for indifferent. "I don't know _what_ you are talking about."

Opening the door and stepping out, Sesshoumaru leaned back in. "Yes you do." Then he walked towards the entrance of the building, not waiting for her to get out. When he reached the two men in suits at the door, he flung the keys at one of them. "We are going to get dinner."

Kagome was so mad she swore she could see red. Several people with demon blood grew uneasy, but were unaware of the power emanating near them. The only one who truly understood did not even flinch as her aura bumped against his. As she stomped toward the building, suddenly she recognized the Love All Serve All® logo on the front in red neon. Running to catch up with Sesshoumaru, she snagged the arm of his jacket, wishing for one instant that he still wore the long sleeves of his royal kimono. "Are we really going to eat at the Roppongi Hard Rock?"

Her excitement was hard not to react to, but Sesshoumaru had thousands of years of training. "It does appear that way."

Suddenly she jumped up and down, the shadow of that long-lost girl gliding across her visage. "Can I get a tee-shirt?"

He looked at the Maitre D' as if to say, _'__see what I have to put up with?'_ The man just shrugged his shoulders, looked at the floor plan, and made the wise decision that the man in front of him should not be left waiting. As the people in the lobby started to protest, Sesshoumaru turned to glare at them, effectively silencing any further complaints.

Surprisingly, they didn't sit in some seductive little corner, they instead sat at the bar, decked out with brass rails and guitars on the ceiling. As the bartender mixed drinks to the ending of a Hyde song, a waitress came over and passed out menus. Sesshoumaru was his typical high-energy self and sat silently while Kagome bopped to an eighty's classic and turned every which way to look at the scenery.

Suddenly she grabbed his sleeve and leaned close, breathing in his ear. "Guess what?" He tamped down an involuntary shiver and raised an eyebrow in response. She smacked his arm at his obvious lack of excitement. Pointing across the room, she smiled. "It's just like in the magazine, the two person tables and the big guitars on the wall."

Sesshoumaru was now hidden behind the menu. "Yes, and John Lennon's autograph is somewhere in the room."

Her eyes got very big. "Really?"

The ice-man set down the menu and sighed. "Yes. But I have not gone searching for it." Reaching forward with his incredible speed, he stopped just before her face and tucked a wayward clump of hair behind her right ear. "You look fifteen again."

Before Kagome could come back with a response, the bartender sat an Appletini in front of Kagome and a mug of beer in front of Sesshoumaru. Blinking, she turned to see the tall man nod slightly and hand their menus across the bar. Raising her eyebrow in a mocking parody of his patent move of cool, she leaned back a little, inadvertently bumping into the man behind her. "Did you just order my dinner, again?"

"Yes. Gives you more time to look around. Maybe if you walk around while the food is being prepared, you can find that signature." His voice was totally serious.

"Fine." Knowing he was really being sarcastic, she decided to needle him a little. Walking around and peering at the gold and platinum albums, she quickly became immersed in the atmosphere of the forth Hard Rock to open in the world.

So engrossed in what she was doing, she completely missed the interchange going on between her date and the man behind the bar.

Tyasen mixed drinks and looked at the pretty man in front of him. The man was very tall, with silver hair and a very feminine face. He looked too feminine to be straight. However, before Tyasen could make motions to discover the man's persuasion, the girl beside him jumped up and ran off to look at the paraphernalia on the walls. The look the man sent after the girl answered the question for him.

So he was a businessman out on a date with his sugar. It no longer amazed Tyasen how some of the men would bring their mindless playthings here for a taste of American life. The guys were never classy enough to actually take their flirts to America, they'd just bring them here and tease them with it, like wafting expensive coffee beans under their noses but never actually brewing them a cup.

Suddenly feeling almost panicky, he looked up into smoldering golden eyes. "Do you wish to say something to this man?"

'_This man? WHO speaks like that?'_ Tyasen picked up a glass and wiped it, trying to keep his composure. "She's cute."

"Mmm." Sesshoumaru did not break his gaze from the man in front of him.

"Like a kitten, cute and fluffy." These guys liked to have their egos stroked by acknowledging how good they were at finding good fluff material.

"Kittens have claws."

"True." _'__Does this guy ever blink?'_

"And often times they do not know when not to use them."

'_Ah, he's telling me she can claw, but she's harmless.'_ "Yeah, harmless but painful."

"That one is not a kitten." Sesshoumaru turned back to look at the girl still moseying around the restaurant. "When she attacks, she does it deliberately. Do not mess with her."

Tyasen backed up, holding his dishtowel in one hand. "Hey man, she's all yours. If you like them ferocious and bitchy…it's your business."

Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat. Suddenly reaching forward, he grabbed the impudent man, causing him to give off a girlish squeak. "She is NOT a bitch. She is a proper young lady." Letting go, he watched as the man dodged his eyes and worked his way quickly to the other end of the bar.

Straightening himself and wondering why he had suddenly lost his composure, Sesshoumaru sat in silence until the cat rejoined him.

Kagome loved this restaurant. It was so noisy and fun. It was obvious that this was the place to visit to have a good time. Remembering her trip to the one in San Francisco, she suddenly wondered if Texas was one of those places that was really bigger than life. Although she did some traveling while in college, she didn't make it to Texas. Realizing that here was the one person she could ask, she walked back over and sat down.

"Hi!"

"What is your question?"

Kagome looked at him, how did he know? "I don't have a question. I just wanted to say hi."

"No, you have a question. You are squirming in your chair. Ask it, put us both out of your misery."

"Are all Texans as fun-loving as they are portrayed to be?"

Sesshoumaru blinked twice. "Example?"

Kagome held her hands up. "Well, the Alamo, David Bowie, Davy Crocket…"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. If it had not been for his time with Rin, he would never have a hell's chance of understanding her. "You mean James Bowie. And Texans are just like we are, with two subtle differences."

Kagome waited. Finally, he continued.

"They are used to larger spaces, and they do not always keep their thoughts to themselves." He glanced at the waitress as she left their meals. "In a lot of ways, you remind me of a Texan."

"Am I that nosy?"

"Half as nosy, but twice as nosy as any other Japanese I know." He picked up the ketchup bottle and put a good layer on. Then he picked up the burger and ate without getting a single drop of anything on himself or his plate.

Kagome looked at the pasta in front of her. It had pieces of chicken and some kind of red powder in it. "What did you order for me?"

"It is a Cajun dish. Try it." He put the burger down and daintily popped a fry in his mouth, watching as she picked up the first morsel of chicken and pasta. As she chewed, he watched as delight entered her eyes.

"Mmm! Twish ish goof." She smiled around the fork she'd just put back in her mouth.

"Slow down. This is not a race. I am not going to take it from you if you do not finish first." If he had the ability to admit he had made a mistake, he would have done so. Instead, he sat and watched as the color drained out of her face and she looked at the plate. Reaching over, he gently turned her chin to look at him. "We cannot even eat a meal without his ghost. There is no reason for you to be haunted by him. However, you are." Looking up at the still startled bartender, he motioned for the bill and a box for her meal. Both were handed to him almost instantly. Pulling plastic out of his wallet and putting her meal up, he waited impatiently for the check.

"What are you doing?" Kagome was beginning to get a little worried. She hadn't seen him move this fast since the final battle with Naraku.

"I am putting your food up so you can finish it later." The bill came back and he signed it, then turned to her and held out his hand. "Come on. We are leaving." He all but dragged her to the car, handing her in to the seat, buckling her belt and slamming the door. Before she could unbuckle her belt, he was sitting beside her and cranking the engine.

"Where are we going?" Kagome really wanted out, he was acting deranged.

Sesshoumaru looked over at her fearful face. He knew he was scaring her, but he was angry. He was angry that his unworthy half-breed of a brother kept her from enjoying her life. He was angry that she allowed memories and hurts to haunt her long past their perishable date. He was mostly angry because she was never able to look past his brother to see the man that had never given her any reason to doubt herself. Looking at the road he was driving on, he turned the music on lightly. "We are going to lay your ghosts to rest."

**A/N:** I hope each of you had a great week. Please don't send me hate mail or firebomb my house, I'll update in a week. But if you need to give me a piece of your mind, hit the review button and keep it clean for the kiddies. Thank you for all the reviews I've been receiving. I've gotten some very nicely written ones, and some very short and to the point. I love all of them. Please have a great week this week and I'll talk at you next week. –TK


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

"What?" She grabbed his upper arm. "Where are you taking me?"

"Kagome, let go." She sat, a terror-like look settling on her face. After a few more turns, he stopped and got out, tossing the keys to a valet. "We will be back in a few minutes." Opening the door for her, he held out his hand. "Come Kagome. This is long due."

"Where are we going?" She continued to sit in the car, causing the valet some confusion because she wouldn't leave.

"Have I ever let harm come to you?"

"Yes, you tried to kill me those two different times…"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. "That was different. Times have changed, I have changed." He glanced at the valet who was watching him with wide eyes and he absently wondered if the cops would be waiting on his return. "Kagome, I did not even know you back then. You were trespassing, and stealing something that was not yours."

"And then, that time I woke up naked in bed with you…" She was trying to work up a good mad.

"Let us certainly not forget that time. But I did not hurt you." The valet's eyes were bulging.

"When I fell off your wall, it scraped my arm." She pointed at a non-existent spot and frowned at him.

"Kami! Get out of my car!" He reached in, and faster than the valet could follow, he had unclipped her belt and yanked her out onto her feet. Looking back in, he smiled with a feral gleam. "We will be back later. Do not scratch the paint." Holding her hand tightly, he started down the street.

Five minutes later, Kagome had worked up a solid rant. Sesshoumaru was trying to ignore her, but she was harping on and on and on about how he behaved like a boorish man out of some really bad romance novel. Finally, he had enough. Turning to her, he pulled her up against his chest and squeezed her until she shut up. Running his fingers through her hair, he waited. It did not take long.

"Uh, Sesshoumaru…"

He was now running his lips up her neck, just under her ear. "Yes?"

His breath caused her to shiver. "What are you doing?"

"I am behaving in the manner you are expecting of me." He nibbled on the corner of her jaw.

"I'm expecting you to ravish me in public?"

"That is all you have been talking about for the last five minutes." He blew in her ear, just a little too hard to be seductive.

"I have not!"

He pushed her away, arms crossing his chest in anger as she landed on her butt on the ground. "Then be silent. We are almost there, and your talking is not necessary."

As they crossed the street to a small housing area, Kagome finally started paying attention. "Where are we?"

"We are going to visit a haunted house."

"What house is that?"

"The house that holds your broken dreams." He gently took hold of her hand and pulled her around the side of one of the houses.

Not sure where he was taking them, she followed quietly, stopping when he walked up to a window and gazed in. Satisfied with what he was seeing, he pulled her up beside him.

Inside, a man sat at a table. He was writing on what looked like drawings. Suddenly, a woman's voice came down the stairs. "Yasha, will you put Taimo to bed? I'm busy with Kataya."

The man grunted but went back to his drawings. Kagome started to struggle, finally figuring out where they were. Sesshoumaru jerked her closer. "Quiet. We are laying your ghosts to rest. There is no reason for you to be haunted."

"Yasha, please. I can't do both things at once."

He looked up, golden brown eyes frowning in impatience. "Listen Bitch, I'm working. How do you expect me to support all of us if I don't work? You stay at home all day and when I get home, all you ever expect me to do is take care of the kids."

"Yasha, Taimo looks up to you. He wants to hear the great stories from his daddy. Don't disillusion him at this young age." InuYasha's shoulders slumped a little as he realized he wasn't been fair to his son.

Suddenly a small white-haired boy ran into the room. Kagome caught her breath, _'__that's what our child would have looked like_.' "Daddy, please tuck me in bed. I want to hear a tale of that time, when the pretty girl was kidnapped by the monk." He peeked at what his father was working on at the table. "Are you really too busy tonight?"

InuYasha straightened up and took a deep breath. "Son, I'll tell you the story. Will you let me finish this one scene I'm working on?" At his enthusiastic nod, InuYasha rubbed his little head and bent back over his work.

Sesshoumaru kept Kagome at the window. They waited forever. Taimo did too. Finally, Taimo began to droop, and fell asleep beside his father. When InuYasha looked up twenty minutes later, he was startled to find his son sleeping beside him. His eyes sad as he realized he'd again disappointed his son, he scooped him up and carried him out of the room.

"I've seen enough." Kagome stepped away from the window. Sesshoumaru let go of her hand. "Does he hit her?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No, he is respectful of his wife. However, he does not love her like you dream of being loved." As they started towards the street, the door suddenly opened. Sesshoumaru stepped in front of Kagome, shielding her from the man standing at the door, a bag of garbage in his hand.

"I thought I felt someone staring at me. What do you want…brother?" InuYasha put the bag down, then propped his hands on his waist, trying to appear more confident.

"I only stopped by to find out if your wife was delivered of a healthy child."

"The great and mighty Sesshoumaru had to drive across town and stoop to sneaking up to my house? He couldn't just pick up the damned phone?"

Sesshoumaru felt movement behind him, and backed up a step to casually lean against the wall behind him. The motion crushed Kagome against his back, stopping her from exposing herself to InuYasha's view. "I could have, but I did not trust my half-breed brother…oh wait, you are now just a lowly human. That makes you a no-breed. You have actually been promoted, congratulations." He crossed his hands over his chest, ignoring the vicious pinch he had just received on his shoulder. "If you will tell me now, I will leave and never step foot on your property again."

InuYasha glared at him. Finally, he smiled. "Tinka delivered a little girl five months ago. She has my eyes, and Tinka's hair. Now, get the fuck off my property." He was about to stand and watch every step when Tinka called from another room, asking if he was done taking out the garbage. Turning to answer, he missed his brother pulling Kagome around and into his arms, and disappearing in a swirl of suit coat. When he turned back around, his yard was again empty.

ssssssss

Kagome sat in silence on the way back to her apartment. It had been a busy day. First she'd had a date, then she'd broken a date by setting up another date, then she'd had a date with the man she originally wanted a date with. Then she'd taken a bad trip down memory lane to visit a man she'd once been in love with, only to find he was a shadow of the image she'd enshrined.

"Not what you were expecting, I know. He is a great disappointment to the Inutaisho clan." Sesshoumaru did not talk expecting an answer. He just wanted her to think. "I always envisioned the two of you, happily dancing off into the sunset. You tempered him, rounded his edges like a tumbler rounds and polishes rocks. That was the only reason I did not kill him back in those tempest days. The two of you were powerful. Alone, he was a brat. You made him invincible.

When I ran into Taimo, I was shocked that his hand was being held by a woman other than you. I followed her home, and discovered who InuYasha had become. He is a big shot movie producer. They could live in better luxury, but she is happy there. He misses running in the fields, he resents being human."

"Does he blame me?"

"Doesn't matter whether he does or does not. It was not your wish."

She turned to look at him. "What?"

"Your wish was not granted. The jewel had to find balance, so it took the wish of the half-human/half-demon holding it."

"Makes sense."

"What was your wish, Kagome?"

"For the souls inside the jewel to find peace, whatever was required."

"That was the right wish."

"What was InuYasha's?"

"For Kikyo to find peace, whatever was required."

"And she wanted InuYasha to be human."

"Partly. She wanted InuYasha to be human and live in your time so that you could be happy. She also wanted Onigumo's soul to find hers in Hell."

"Why would she wish for InuYasha to be human for me? I accepted him as he was."

"But she did not. She wanted your happiness, and knew that his humanness would be the only way she would have been happy. She forgot that although you are her incarnation, you are your own soul too."

"So she wished his unhappiness on us."

Sesshoumaru stopped the car, they had finally arrived at her apartment. "No. InuYasha caused his own unhappiness, and dragged you into it with him. However, you are now free of his unhappiness. He continues to make his own misery by not embracing the life he has today." Kagome sat in the shadow-light inside the car, a single tear marking her face. Sesshoumaru lifted a finger and caught it, holding it up to glimmer in the light. "Let him go, he is only a specter. He has no more power to haunt you."

**A/N:** Ah, resolution on at least one subject. Thank you to each of you for your reviews this week! They are salve for the artistic soul. I also enjoyed hearing about one person's first-hand experience with HRC Roppongi. Although my party didn't eat there, we dropped some serious yen in the gift shop. We looked for the Ueno Park Station one but never found it. I'd love to hear from someone who actually knows where that is. I want to visit it the next time I find myself in Tokyo. I hope everyone has a great week! -TK


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

The next morning, Kagome was surprised to find Logan sitting at the counter of the coffee shop. He smiled a grin that could encompass all of Tokyo and still leave room at the edges. "Hey Kagome, thanks!"

Lucy was behind the cash register and caught sight of Kagome as she finished ringing up the last person in line. "Kagome!" She ran around the counter and hugged her tightly, surprising several of the customers. "He's…" She reached over and squeezed his arm. "Well, just look at him, he's perfect." Logan preened, pretending to be 'the perfect specimen.' Both girls laughed. Suddenly Lucy noticed the dark rings under Kagome's eyes. "Uh oh…I take it the dinner date didn't go so well with, you know who?"

Kagome smiled, happiness radiant in her eyes. "Actually, I believe his reputation may live up to his name."

"Huh?" Lucy was arranging straws and wasn't sure she understood.

Kagome waved her off. There was no way she could explain that 'The Killing Perfection' had taken out the demons that had plagued her for the last few years. "It's private."

Logan suddenly stood, earning confused looks from both girls. "I can take a hint, girl talk, I'm not needed."

Kagome reached him first. Snagging his sleeve as he turned, she halted his movements. "No, you can stay. It wasn't girl talk."

Lucy laughed. "Kags was just saying it was not my business."

Logan laughed. "I understand, but it's 8:15, and I have work today."

"You do?"

He leaned forward, pulling Lucy across the counter and kissing her. "Yes. Work for the big bad Inutai, and you have to work on Sundays too." Letting go, he waved as he headed towards the door. "Seven pm, and you better have your dancing shoes on."

Lucy watched his slim hips as he walked out the door, wondering what the appropriate number of dates was before she could see what he looked like under those jeans.

Kagome inhaled the fragrant aromas in the shop. Smiling as she caught the naughty look in Lucy's eyes, she cleared her throat. "What is that delicious smell?"

The other woman blinked, the distraction breaking her train of thought. "Oh honey, that's Southern Pecan. Let me brew you a cup, it'll make you think you'd died and moved to Mississippi." At Kagome's confused look, she laughed. "You HAVE to go visit the states. You could live there a lifetime and still not catch all of the intricacies." Looking around and deciding her morning help could cover the customers for a few minutes, she walked around and sat beside her friend.

"Mississippi is a southern state. Think hoop-skirts and 'Gone with the Wind.' There are large pecan plantations down there, and everyone is very friendly. This coffee just wants to make you lie out in a hammock and wait for your sweaty husband to come in from the fields and ravish you."

"I've been to Mississippi. Maybe something got lost in translation." Kagome took a tentative sip, not getting that exact picture. "Speaking of sweaty husbands and ravishing…I guess you didn't get him naked last night?"

Lucy laughed, a loud chortle that caused several patrons to look over at her red face. She leaned close, trying to keep her voice soft. "So, what is the required number of dates before I can shuck those jeans off his long legs and put him to better use than holding my hand?"

"I think that you both need to make that decision. I'm not the official guide to dating, remember?"

"Mmmm." Lucy propped her elbow on the counter, resting her chin in her hand. "He's so sexy. I think I'm falling in love." She turned to look at her much quieter friend. "How did your date go?" Kagome grimaced. "That good huh?"

"He didn't cheat on me." She sipped her drink, thinking it needed just a little bit more sugar. "And I think I acted just a little too possessive."

"Why do you say that?"

"He said that 'Jealous Bitch' was a good color on me."

Lucy choked, bubbles coming up inelegantly in her coffee. "What?" She put the mug down, chuckling lightly. "He does have a way with words doesn't he?"

"Mmm, he does." Kagome thought about the last things he said as he pulled up to her apartment. She suddenly felt lighter than she'd felt in years. Grabbing Lucy's hand, she smiled. "What hours are you working today?"

"Why? What are you thinking?"

"I want to go shopping!"

Lucy yelled at the college student behind the counter and asked if he could manage the store for a couple of hours. He yelled back that it was about time she went out and had some fun. Waving at him, she grabbed Kagome's hand and pulled her out of the store. "Okay, where are we going?"

ssssssss

Two hours later, they were sitting at a small street-side café, drinking iced fruit drinks and eating delicate sandwiches. As Kagome lifted a wedge of sandwich to her lips, she smiled. "What is this again?"

"Watercress." Lucy took a delicate nibble, earning a giggle from her friend. "Hey, it's what all the hoity-toity in England eat. I think the Queen eats it for lunch every day. Of course…she wears gloves when she eats these." Kagome looked at her with patent disbelief. Lucy crossed her finger over her chest. "Cross my heart and all that jazz." Sipping her mint julep, she smiled evilly. "So, when do you plan to wear yours?"

Kagome looked at her innocently. "Wear what?" Lucy reached for her bag, but Kagome was quicker. "Not in public!"

Lucy laughed as her friend's cheeks tinted pink. "I'm thinking about next Saturday night. I'll wear them under really frumpy clothing. Won't he be surprised when he unwraps a paper bag to find silk underneath!"

"Are you sure you're ready to go that far with him? You've only known him for one day."

Lucy put her hand over her chest. "Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"No."

"What?"

"Well, I used to believe in love at first sight, but not anymore. I don't trust it."

"Well, I do." She leaned closer. "Besides, next Saturday I'll have known him a week."

Kagome thought. Did she see Sesshoumaru as a possible bedmate? Despite her bad experience with InuYasha, she still didn't believe in sex before marriage. As her face turned pink, Lucy leaned closer.

"You're thinking about him aren't you?"

"Who?"

"Seth."

"How do you know when it's right?"

Lucy looked across at her friend. "I think that's a question you can only answer for yourself. I mean you've known Seth for…"

"Years."

"Oh, I thought it was less time."

"No, sometimes it feels like centuries."

"When did you meet?"

"When I was in high school"_ 'and five-hundred years ago.'_

"Was he as sexy back then? There's no way. He had to be the biggest goof."

"I believe he was born that way."

"Really?" Lucy took a sip of her drink, enjoying the way the mint cooled on the way down.

"He does look a little less intimidating than the first time I saw him." At Lucy's raised eyebrow, she chuckled. "Well, in some ways."

"I think that business suit he wears is intimidating as hell."

"Yeah, well just imagine him as a six foot giant wearing Sengoku Jidai warrior gear and garnishing a sword."

"Was he in a play?"

"No, he was trying to kill me." Kagome held her breath as Lucy's eyes bulged. "But looking back on it, it was justifiable."

"How can attacking you with a sword be justifiable?"

Kagome scratched the back of her head and laughed embarrassingly. "Well, I kinda broke into his father's tomb and was trying to take a family heirloom."

"Kagome!" When her friend said nothing else, Lucy prompted her. "Well, it looks like it all turned out okay. Were you successful?"

"Huh?"

"Did you achieve your goal?"

"Yes, actually I did." Kagome smiled deeply, taking satisfaction in the knowledge that one little girl, with no realized powers of her own, had bested the demon lord in the most important battle of his life. On the heels of that thought came the realization that Sesshoumaru had a legitimate reason to hate her. However, he had acted out of kindness every time she'd been around him. _'__I wonder why?'_

**A/N:** Buckle your sleigh belts. I'm giving you TWO chapters as my Christmas present.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

That was a question that would have to wait over a month to be asked. Work suddenly became the obsessive preoccupation of her day when she spliced a genome one afternoon and it opened up an entirely new genetic area to categorize and dissect. Life became a distant third behind work and sleep, with sleep not half as important as she usually ranked it.

She didn't give Sesshoumaru more than a passing thought. He was obviously busy too because she had no messages on her answering machine. If he did think of her, he hadn't called. And if he'd called, he'd made sure to leave no messages. In fact, the next encounter she had with the Inutaisho clan came from a completely different corner.

Since she didn't have time to hang out with Lucy, more than her normal morning cup to go, Lucy threatened to start pouring her decaffeinated if she didn't come by one Sunday for lunch. Giving up, and realizing friendship was probably more important than sleep, she agreed to show up the following Sunday.

The morning was beautiful. Sunlight shown in around the strings in her bamboo blinds, and the pillow became a quick deterrent, until it threatened to smother. Throwing it off with a disgusted grunt, she sat up and distractedly brushed the tendrils that had come out of her braid away from her face. "Sunday, Sunday…what am I doing today?" Standing, she walked over to her calendar. 'Lunch with Lucy.' Distractedly, she looked at her watch, 10:45. "Kuso." Running around her room, throwing clothes around looking for clean and chic, she knew what she'd find. She hadn't done laundry in weeks, not since the first genome had cracked. Finally she found a white poet's shirt and a slim-line pencil skirt. Unbraiding her hair and letting it curl over her shoulders, she slid her feet in to black pumps and headed for the door, stopping only long enough to grab an umbrella.

Running down the street, she looked at her watch. It was 11:20 and they were supposed to leave the coffee shop at 11:30 to get lunch. Not wanting to be late, she tapped a foot and waited impatiently at the light for the music to start so she could cross the street. Finally, the happy tune started and she lit across, being careful not to knock anyone down in her haste. Smiling as she neareded the door, she reached for the handle to have it jerked out of her hand.

"See ya hon. Tonight is taco night, don't be late." Logan turned in time to catch a falling Kagome, almost missing the 'You better be talking Mexican and not octopus' from the woman standing behind the counter. Smiling at the tumbled mess in his arms, he nodded to let Lucy know he meant Mexican and stood Kagome back up. "Sorry, didn't see you. Come on in, I think Lucy said she wanted octopus for lunch."

"You know I don't like those things!" He laughed and a small hand reached out from behind his leg to touch her soft black hair.

"You look just like the girl in my otou-san's stories." Kagome was startled by the soft voice. Looking past the little hand to the white hair, she paled.

Logan tightened his grip on her, she looked like she was going to flake out on him. "Taimo, don't pull on her hair, I think you're hurting her."

The little hand let go immediately and large golden eyes looked at her. "Gomen nasai! I didn't mean to hurt you." He looked up, hope in his eyes. "Have you ever been kidnapped by a monk?"

Kagome fought back tears as she let go of Logan and knelt in front of the little boy. "What did your dad say?" She smiled, a sad smile that fooled the boy but not the two adults watching.

"He said the monk tossed you into his lap and rode your bike off into the sunset. The dog demon had to rescue you, but you didn't appreciate it and called him all sorts of names." He frowned at her, crossing his hands over his chest, a dead ringer for a younger InuYasha.

"Would you like it if your mom came and rescued you when some good looking girl was hugging on you?"

"Yuck! Girls are yucky!" He looked at her through his eyelashes. "But you're cute. I guess if you were hugging on me…"

Lucy and Logan coughed simultaneously to hide barks of laughter, Kagome only smiled prettily. "Thank you! And what are you doing with this man?"

He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "He's the bad guy in my daddy's newest movie." He looked up at the tall man, frowning before turning back. "But he doesn't look scary without the wig. He wears a big black wig, and he has bright red eyes."

"Ah," she looked up at Logan, who winked at her. "Yeah, you're right. He's not very scary without the wig and eyes."

"No, he's not!" A little foot stomped down, but he reached for the manly hand hanging next to him. "But I like him, he's nice to me when he's not being evil."

"Isn't that the normal way of things?" Logan looked at the watch on his other wrist. "And if we don't head back to the studio, your father is going to roar at me for being late."

Kagome watched a shadow cross over the child's face. "My daddy can roar very loudly." He looked up at Logan, a very adult countenance suddenly appearing. "Come on you, I can't have my daddy roaring at you."

Kagome reached a hand out and touched his little face. "Taimo, your daddy loves you very much. Yes, he roars, but he roars loudest at those he cares about."

"How do you know?"

"Because he's just like the hero in your story, the dog demon guy."

"Yeah, they do look a lot alike." He smiled, suddenly just a small child again. "Come on, I want to watch my daddy roar some more. Bye 'Gome."

"Bye Taimo." She turned to watch the little body move down the street, his white hair swishing over a red Spidey shirt, a modern version of the elder.

Lucy came up to watch the man she loved walk off with a child in tow. "How did he know your name? Had you met before?"

Kagome laughed wetly. "Lucky guess?"

"You know his father don't you?"

Kagome smiled brightly. "I see that look in your eyes. You're superimposing blonde hair on that child aren't you?"

Lucy smiled, her heart in her eyes. "Is it that obvious?" Kagome's smile answered her question. She waved at Salli, letting her know they were leaving, and headed out the door. "And don't think for a minute that I've forgotten what I've asked you; but for now, I'll let you divert my attention. Doesn't he just look right with a little kid in hand?"

"Yes, I think he's going to be a good father." They crossed the street and headed towards a little place that sold a really good seaweed salad. "Speaking of fathers, and things that cause children…did he like the lingerie?"

"Ka-go-Me!" Lucy squealed, her eyes shining as people turned to look at the girl who was blushing. "Oh kill me now!"

Kagome laughed, and waited patiently while they gathered their trays and picked out their lunches. They found a table on the sidewalk, and sat to eat.

Lucy picked up a soft piece of seaweed with her chopsticks. "If my brother could only see me now."

"Which one?"

"Brad, the rancher, not Thomas the lawyer." The slippery leaf came loose of the chopsticks, and landed in the bowl with a little 'splat.' Determined, Lucy picked it back up and brought it to her mouth.

Kagome pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and snapped a picture of Lucy shoveling the piece of seaweed into her mouth. "I'll email it to you, you can send it to him. I'll caption it 'Lucy defeats the seaweed monster, and finds out he tastes pretty good with ginger dressing.'"

"It's perfect, my brother always said I could eat anything." They howled at the thought of a cattle rancher in Texas with a sister who eats seaweed in Tokyo.

They were about halfway done with dinner when Lucy suddenly leaned over. "To answer your earlier question, it worked very well." Suddenly she pouted. "But I had to go buy another one."

"Why?"

"He destroyed it in his haste to get to what was under it."

Kagome choked on the tea she was drinking. "You're kidding me."

"No, it was quite exciting. We almost made it to the couch."

"You didn't make it to the bedroom?"

Lucy laughed naughtily. "No."

Kagome grinned. "Ok, I think I need details."

"Well," She leaned closer as she noticed a nosy businessman was paying rapt attention. "We were kissing at the door, and his hand slid under my shirt. The way he was holding me, he ran into the hooks in the back. It was like someone flipped a switch on the boy. Suddenly we were in the apartment, the door was slammed at my back, and he was ripping my clothes off. Apparently, he DOES like paper bag wrapping over silk."

The girls laughed. Kagome smiled. "Did he like the color?"

"Yeah. You want to hear the funniest part?" At her friend's nod, Lucy continued. "The next morning, we got up and discovered we hadn't even locked the door."

The two of them howled, causing more people to look their way. Kagome finally waved her hand in front of her face. "Enough. I don't want to hear any more. You're going to give me nightmares."

"Or ideas!"

"Or…ideas. Come on, I think this calls for a new pair of earrings for the both of us!" Kagome stood and picked up both trays, throwing the trash away as Lucy finished putting herself back together.

Over a short shopping trip to find the perfect pair of earrings for the both of them, they somehow got onto the subject of auto-immune deficiency disorders.

Not to be confused with AIDS, the ones she studied were disorders to the auto-immune system NOT transmitted through the blood. Lupus and Multiple Sclerosis were the two most publicly known forms. Often caused by stress, not by viruses, these were disorders that mutated genetic structure of healthy cells, causing a rapid deterioration of the cells affected.

Kagome had studied AID in college and it took less than three minutes to get so detailed that Lucy had the dead cow look associated with abject confusion. Laughing, Kagome hugged her. "Sorry, it's an occupational hazard. I need a sign around my neck that states 'Beware, boring scientist on explanatory rampage.'"

Lucy laughed. "Yeah, you'd scare men off at a thousand paces."

Kagome smiled, the humor not quite reaching her eyes. "I already do."

Pulling her into a hug, Lucy squeezed tight. "Have you scared off Seth?"

Kagome pulled back, looking at her friend. "I don't know, I haven't heard from him. But then, he rarely calls. I usually do the contacting."

"Does he like you?"

"I think he tolerates me. I'm not sure he's capable of liking anyone."

"Is he a closet homosexual?"

Kagome laughed, but then realized she didn't actually know the answer. "I don't think so. I've never seen him show interest in a man." _'__Of course, I've never seen him show interest in anything.'_

"Is he frigid?"

"He reminds me of lava. Cold and dead on the outside, but once you break open that crusty shell, he's molten material inside, almost uncontrollable."

"Oooohh, sounds dangerous in bed."

Kagome smiled. "Your mind is in the gutter again."

"I know. But…" She glanced at her frog watch. "It's only three hours until 'that man' meets me for dinner."

"Don't you have reservations?"

"Yeah, but it only takes a few minutes to knock the edge off…if you know what I mean."

Lucy walked on, not catching the dazed look in her friend's eyes._ Really?_

**A/N:** I hope you enjoyed my Christmas treat. Thank you to each of you for reading this story and I appreciate all the reviews I've received. I discovered when I logged in tonight that _Moving Forward_ has garnered over 20,000 reads and 100 reviews. I feel so honored, it was a nice Christmas gift to me from all of you! Merry Christmas (Happy Holidays to be PC)! -TK


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

Tuesday, Kagome left work on cloud seven. If it didn't involve work, she might have been on cloud nine, but that knowledge shot the joy down two levels. A special spring in her step, she danced out to her car. Arriving at the apartment, she was too wired, so she changed into running clothes and jogged down to the local soba shop. It wasn't Jin's, but the noodles were made with care and she could get them cold, her favorite.

Carrying the little bag back to her apartment, she waved at the quiet man who was always sweeping in front of his health store. He stopped to wave back, the setting sun giving him an ancient gloss that reminded her of Kaede's village. Thoughts of back then always brought up the well, which reminded her that she hadn't talked to her mother in two weeks. Her step a little less bouncy at the prospect of that phone call, she made her way back to the apartment.

Procrastinating until after her meal was finished, and no one ate cold soba as slowly as Kagome could, she finally ran out of excuses. Picking up the phone, she dialed the numbers. It rang three times before the handset was picked up. A deep gravely voice answered. "Higurashi Shrine, may I help you?"

"Grandpa, is mom home?"

"Girl, where have you been? I've been saying prayers at Shimboku for you the last fortnight. I was just sure the demons had gotten you. Are you stuck on the other side of the well?"

"Grandpa! You know that the well hasn't worked in years. Is mom home?"

"Er, that's right! It hasn't. How is the jewel, are you keeping it safe?"

Kagome gently touched the small scar on her waist, where the jewel was ripped out by Mistress Centipede. "Grandpa, you know that the jewel no longer exists."

"Nonsense. Matter doesn't just disappear like that."

Kagome felt the first chills start on the back of her neck. "What?"

"The jewel may no longer have any powers, but it probably still exists."

"But it would no longer have the ability to cause that kind of chaos, right?"

"Probably not. Since the well has closed, it appears the souls inside have found peace. So, why did you call again?"

"Is mom home?" It was really quiet on the other end. "Grandpa?"

"What dear?"

"You're avoiding answering the question. Is mom at home?"

"No dear."

"Where is she?"

"Now, that's what I'm trying to avoid. You're going to yell at me."

Kagome felt a big pain shoot up the back of her neck. Ji-chan always made her head hurt if she spent too much time talking to him. "Why would I yell at you?"

"Souta did."

"Souta yelled at you. Is mom in the hospital?"

"No! She's on a date."

Kagome dropped the phone. Hearing her grandfather yelling, she scrambled around for the handset. "Sorry Ji-chan."

"I heard clattering, are you okay?"

"I dropped the phone. Gomen. Uh, grandpa…"

"Yes dear?"

"Who is she on a date with?"

"Now that's a funny question. I don't know. None of the women in my life will bring their men home for me to meet them. I have to find out about them through newspapers and late night phone calls."

"Grandpa! You haven't been listening in on mama's phone calls have you?"

"Only the good…oh gee, we have people here. Gotta go."

The sound of the phone clicking in her ear caused Kagome to start laughing. Clicking the hook, she dialed another number. Four rings and the answering machine picked up. "Hello, it's Souta. If you don't know which one, you probably have a wrong number. Otherwise, leave a message, I'll ring you back."

"Hey, it's your older, wiser sister. Mom's out on a date, and Ji-chan listens in to her private midnight phone conversations with her boyfriend. I hope you're doing something that grandpa would consider…good. Love you, call me back."

Just as she was getting ready to hang up the phone, she heard it click. "Hey sis. Haven't heard from you in two weeks and you only call me to tell me mom's having phone sex and grandpa's listening in?"

"And why don't you answer the phone when your sister calls?"

"Because I don't like being on the phone while having sex?"

"Souta!" She heard an echoing indignant squeak on the other end, and figured it was Hitomi.

He laughed. "Don't ask if you don't want to know."

"Pervert."

"Hey! You asked. I wouldn't normally volunteer, but I don't keep secrets from my nii-chan."

"You can keep those secrets to yourself." His chuckle brought a smile to her face. She wondered when he'd become the elder of the two of them.

"You're just jealous because mom and I are getting some, and you aren't."

"Souta…"

"Uh huh, unrivaled jealousy peeking out from behind that very concerned voice of yours."

"Listen, I love you. But, I think we both have better things to do than…"

Souta laughed again on the other end. This time, it sounded like the result of being tickled. "Sis, I love you. Call mom tomorrow and get all the details. I gotta go." He dropped the phone and she heard Hitomi telling him she was on top this time before she got the handset hung up.

Somewhat disturbed by that image, she idly turned on the TV and flipped through the channels. Stopping on an old black and white of Shintaru Katsu as Zatoichi, Kagome sat and watched. She'd grown up to these shows, watched on Saturday mornings with her grandfather. He claimed to know Shintaru personally, but he also claimed to have a relic from the sun goddess. Who knew with her grandfather. After her experience with the well, she wasn't going to discount any of his stories as the rantings of a crazy old guy.

When the phone rang, it startled her out of a light doze. Blinking at the TV, she noticed that the blind samurai had been replaced by a really bad dub over of Casablanca. When the phone rang again, she reached over and picked up the handset, realizing it was what woke her up. "Higurashi Kagome, moshi moshi."

"Hello Kagome." She smiled.

"You do know how to dial out on a phone."

Sesshoumaru frowned. He did business every day, what an inane thing to say. "You were questioning that ability?"

"Well, until just now, I'd always called you. I was wondering."

"I have called you before."

"Have not."

"Think back."

"Mmmm…nope."

"I called you first." Sesshoumaru turned to look out the window. The stars were particularly bright. Her light chuckle warmed something inside his chilled soul, causing him to frown. Was he really ready to be thawed?

Kagome realized she'd twined a finger in her hair, making her feel like a high school girl again. "You know, I'd forgotten. You did make the first contact. I guess it was only right that I return a few calls, since you had to go to more trouble to find me than I did to find you."

"And I asked you out first."

Kagome held her breath, not realizing Sesshoumaru was doing the same. "I asked you out second."

The silence was really thick, uncomfortably thick. Not sure how to gloss over the discomfort, she suddenly realized she'd never asked her burning question. "Why are you so kind to me now, when you have no reason to be?"

Sesshoumaru looked back at the phone as if it has suddenly grown fangs and bitten him. "Is this foolish question night?"

"I don't know, you called me. Is it?"

"If you think hard enough, you will find your answers." He scribbled mindless doodles on a piece of paper while the silence hung thickly.

"Rin. I protected her."

"Smart girl. You did it out of the kindness of your soul, and not to gain favor."

"But you repaid me."

"They were unequal."

"How? A life for a life."

"He is my brother. I was protecting my reputation and my brother more than I was giving him back into your care." Sesshoumaru wondered how he could get off this subject without being completely heartless. Deciding he just did not care, he deliberately changed the subject. "I did not call to talk about this kind of nonsense. I called to find out if you were available for an evening meal Saturday night."

"Possibly."

"With a sleepover."

Kagome dropped the phone for the second time that night. When she finally scrambled around and got it back to her ear, she was stuttering. "Uh, a…are you propositioning me?"

Sesshoumaru was sure that the heat suddenly blossoming across his cheeks was not mortification with the way that had come out of his mouth. "No. Absolutely not."

"Well, than maybe you better explain what you mean."

"There will be a late dinner at my residence. A business gathering. There will be drinking involved, and I do not want to drive you back. You will be perfectly safe."

"Will I have my own room?"

Sesshoumaru wanted to pound his head on the table. He had not thought this through as well as he had meant to. "Yes."

"And the house demons…I really don't want to be an aperitif." She was trying not to laugh, he could hear it in her voice.

"They will be dispatched for the evening. This is a human party, they will not be in the house to cause problems for this Sesshoumaru." Idly scribbling a note to ask his friends in Yamamoto if his staff could stay for an evening, he waited for her to respond.

"Fine. What is the dress?"

"I will take care of it. Just make sure you are rested. It will be a late night, and you have a tendency to start yawning after 10pm." He looked at his watch as he listened to her jaw pop on the other end, 10:17.

Her jaws snapped shut. "I do not!"

"Youkai hearing, you are fooling no one."

She laughed lightly. "Okay, you win. I'll go to bed early Friday night."

"The car will pick you up from work."

She groaned. "Does it HAVE to? The girls are going to gossip and drive me crazy on Monday."

"Deal with it." Since there was no one to see him, he let a tiny smile edge on the corner of one lip. It had become an enjoyable pastime to see how much he could torture one young woman by providing masculine attention at just the right places.

"Fine, but one of these days, you're going to have to deal with them too. You can't hide forever."

"This Sesshoumaru does not hide."

"Yes you do. You hide behind a businessman's façade. You hide behind a frozen heart. You're the connoisseur of misdirection."

The girl saw more than he wanted her to. "Kagome, this discussion is getting us nowhere."

"Ah hah. Hiding again!"

Sesshoumaru decided to think on that later. She might have a point, but he would not admit it even if she did. "It is late. I will see you Saturday." Hanging up the phone, he steepled his hands together and rested his chin on his thumbs to think. Jaken found him thusly perched when he came in the next morning.

**A/N:** I hope each of you had a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for the wonderful reviews. I ask that if you are a "New Year's Reveler" that you take a designated driver or stay at the place you are going. Having attended the funerals of more than one friend who was the drunk driver in the accident, I can give you first hand knowledge that the urban legend that the driver survives is NOT TRUE. I don't want to lose any of you due to lack of wisdom on your part or anyone else, please be careful tonight and have fun!!!! Happy New Year everyone. -TK


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

Saturday was the longest workday of Kagome's life. She had about five percent of the genome categorized. It was tedious work and did little to take her mind off of the upcoming evening. Since it'd take months for her to complete the segment she was working on, there was nothing quick to distract. At lunch, the girls ordered sandwiches from a deli down the street and Kagome picked at hers. Although everyone noticed her uncharacteristic lack of appetite, they all agreed to leave her be, for now.

At 5:15pm, the receptionist called down to the lab to inform Kagome her ride was here. Ignoring the raised eyebrows of her coworkers, she put her VR system away and packed up for the weekend. She thought she was going to get away with it, but Jolin stopped her. "You will tell us all about it on Monday." It wasn't a request, it was a demand. Nodding, she smiled nervously and headed up the elevator. The two remaining girls grinned at each other, almost giggly at the prospect that they'd know some good gossip before Kathyrin and Kaori.

Walking out the front doors, she was surprised to find a sedan instead of the limo. Sesshoumaru had obviously tried to spare her some notice by downplaying her ride. Feeling a little less tense, she opened the front door and sat down in the passenger's seat. "Hello Michael."

"Would you rather…" He nodded his head towards the back.

"Sit up here with you? Why yes, thank you." She turned to look out the window as he headed out of town. After a few minutes, she turned to look at him. "Where are we going?"

Michael smiled. This lady was not stupid. "Sessshomaru'ss essstate."

"This isn't the way to his house." They were headed north, not south.

"True. We're going to hiss Casstle."

"Sesshoumaru has more than one house?"

"Five. In Japan. I don't know about elssewhere." He turned left to get on the main highway.

"How long of a drive is it?"

"About an hour, two if traffic iss heavy. How have you been?"

While he drove, she filled him in on the last two months. She told him about Lucy and about Logan. He laughed when she explained about how she set them up. Of course, she edited her version so he didn't realize she was actually supposed to go out with Logan instead of just setting him up. After she ran out of things to talk about, she turned the tables on him. He spent the next twenty minutes explaining that nothing much had happened outside of two business trips. They were about to turn into the main driveway when he suddenly stopped the car.

"I almosst forgot, I had a date lasst week."

"Really?"

"Very nicce girl. Part mantiss." Turning the wheel, he pulled in and clicked a button to open the main gate.

Although the sun had set, there was still enough light for Kagome to see. A brick wall with solid black gates stood in front of her, blocking any further view. She watched as the tall black gates opened. They were wrought iron with small spikes at the top. It appeared they were well maintained and no metal grinding or rusty sounds came from the hinges. Once the gates had opened, she was able to see the twisting drive. Ginko trees lined both sides of the road and Kagome began to understand that this place had been around for a very long time. Since Ginko trees didn't enter their juvenile state until they were over 50, and were not considered adult until they were over 100, the sheer size of these put them young at a century. The bases of each tree were expertly landscaped with flowers. Occasionally a hanging lamp would provide lighting, breaking up the severity of the drive.

Looking past the trees, she noticed that there was a small strip of green landscaped lawn before the woods started. Wondering if Sesshoumaru still wandered in those woods, she figured if he did, no one would be the wiser. As they came around the last corner, the trees ended and a front lawn opened up to showcase the mansion.

Kagome had to catch her breath at the sight. It really was a castle. Sesshoumaru actually owned a castle. She'd always heard rumors of Sesshoumaru's castle; but since he'd been a wandering lord during her days in the feudal era, she figured it was in ruins. Lord of the Western Lands, denoted lands to be lord over. Rising out of the trees was a castle that rivaled the White Heron Castle formally known as Himeji.

Cherry trees protected the built-up foundation in the semblance of time-honored sentinels. The building was white like Shirasagi-jo, but it had seven levels instead of six. There were multiple outer buildings, giving Kagome the clear understanding that either Sesshoumaru's castle had never been in battle, or he took pride in the rebuilding. The roofline was a complex maze of dark clay, but each peak was adorned with fierce gold dogs with long curling tails.

Smiling at the ornaments, she was surprised when the car drove around to the back and parked in a modern garage. She opened the door before Michael could come around.

"I'm ssupposed to do that Misss. Kagome." He bowed and offered his hand as she stood.

She waved him off. "Show me around the rest of this place, and we'll call it even."

He nodded, offering his elbow. They made a leisurely tour of the grounds. As they came around the very back, she saw that the woods had been cleared away to make room for a small pagoda shrine and a large pond and zen garden. "Is Lord Sesshoumaru a Buddhist?"

"If he professed to a religion, that would probably be it. He believes in a great maker, but the details aren't critical to him. He often comes out here to sit and achieve balance though." Michael thought that Sesshoumaru had been spending a lot more time out here since meeting this woman, but he wasn't about to voice that comment.

They stopped on a small bridge and watched the koi come up to the surface like beggar children looking for handouts. Kagome chuckled at their antics, and was secretly touched when she learned that there was a little box of koi food on the other side of the bridge. Opening the lid, she took out a small handful and sprinkled it generously over the water. The fish cavorted and splashed as they fought over the morsels. "Why do they fight when there is enough for all?"

"It is part of their nature. Animals have no ruling sense of rationality." She turned towards the voice. Sesshoumaru was exiting the pagoda. He wore a traditional kimono in deep blue, small silver clouds had been woven into the pattern around the hem. As she looked back at where he had come from, she noticed a small clutch of herbs left at the shrine. "I take it your trip was safe?" He cut a glance at Michael, but was still addressing Kagome.

She bowed, not making eye contact. "Yes, thank you for the ride."

He reached down and raised her so she stood before him. "You have never bowed to me before."

"True, but I've never seen you as Lord Sesshoumaru before either."

"I have always been Lord Sesshoumaru. I was Lord of the Western Lands when you first met me. You showed no reverence then either."

"Again, I'd never really associated you as a lord."

He looked around. "Did you think my castle was just a figment of a wandering Enka singer? A fictional tale told to scare off marauders?"

"Yes. I did."

He gave her full marks for honesty. "Surprise."

"Exactly. Now I have to admit that you're royalty."

"In the feudal era, they regarded me as a god." He turned, his kimono barely brushing against the post. Looking down at the fish, he clucked. "You will make them fat. They should not eat that much. Come, we have much to do before the dinner."

Although Kagome felt safe around Sesshoumaru, something didn't feel right. She put it down to nerves over this place and her altered view of him, but that didn't feel like the correct reason. Trying to shrug it off, she followed him into his keep.

The tatami rugs were very high quality, and she made sure that after she took her shoes off, her socks were spotless. Watching her motions, Sesshoumaru frowned. "Quit being paranoid. I will replace the mats if they get dirty."

"Oh, okay." She stood and walked to where he was.

"Would you like to see the rest?"

Kagome wondered if it would be rude to say 'yes.'

"Kagome, if you act all inhibited like this, tonight is going to be a torture for the both of us. I am not making a suggestion that you go upstairs and become the village's offering to appease me. I am simply asking if you want to see the rest of my home."

Blushing at the thought of lying naked on his bed, she gathered her wits. "I would like to see the rest of your house. And I wouldn't make a very good offering."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at that. "Why would you not make a good offering?"

"I bite."

He chuckled and led her into the heart of his castle. "Funny, so do I."

Twenty minutes later, Kagome was in shock. The castle was huge. It had been started by his father over a thousand years ago as a bonding present to Sesshoumaru's mother. When she left, his father had mostly left it to the keep of his servants while he wandered the country. "He said his wandering was to keep peace, but age makes me look back and wonder if sorrow over the death of their marriage did not play a part." They were in the armament section of the keep, an area that still had ancient weapons preserved against time's damages, when Sesshoumaru imparted this information.

"When did you quit wandering?" She ran her hand over a glossy black cannon.

"When Rin was old enough to start looking at me with adult eyes. I needed her to recognize other men as potential mates, and could not do that without a nearby stable village. My father's sword may have brought her back, but it was not for her to become my bedmate." He started up the stairs, she followed behind.

"Was she happy?"

"Yes. Her husband was a good man. They had several children together, and they both lived safely within these walls until they died."

"Do you miss her?"

Sesshoumaru turned and looked at her, wisdom in his eyes. "Do you miss the monk and the taijiya?"

"Mmm. Point taken. Carry on wise tour-guide. Why did you wander in the first place?"

"My father took me with him when he set out on his vagabond journey. I continued to wander until I was ready to come home."

They were now in the kitchen area. This building was set aside from the rest of the castle, in case it burned. It had been modernized, but was still a separate building, connected with a more modern hallway. "I could never decide whether to put a dining room in here or not, so I left it."

"I feel like Marco Polo, being offered the first foreigner's view of the golden city."

"Sorry, you are not that special Kagome. I have business dinners here quite frequently. However, this is the first time I have had someone stand beside me."

She blushed. "I'm honored."

"You may not say that after tonight. You may wish you had succeeded in killing me all those years ago."

"My aim wasn't perfected yet."

"You did not want to kill InuYasha's brother."

"Believe what you will, dog demon."

"You as well, untrained miko."

She nodded towards another building. "What's that building?"

He smiled, an odd smile that made her insides squirm. "That is the newest building. It was built three hundred years ago."

It was slightly smaller than the main building, but the screens were bigger. It looked almost modern in appearance, without losing any of the elegance of the rest of the compound. The dogs on this one had curling manes, almost like the one Sesshoumaru sported when he was transformed. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her across the opening, and slid open a shoji. Closing it behind him, he watched as her eyes adjusted to the dimmer lights.

"It's a bath house." There was hot water pouring out of a rocky area in the corner of the room, running into a small pool, which then ran into a larger pool. The larger pool looked big enough to swim in.

"Some people would call it a gym. There are three floors. The dojo is on top, where the heat has the most chance of already being dispelled and is least likely to affect combatants. The workout room is directly above the pool." He stood with his chest puffed out.

"You mean to tell me that you built an indoor pool 300 years ago?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Yes. I like to swim, but every time I did so, I would hear female giggling. I put up walls and enclosed it so that nosy women would quit laughing at me."

Kagome just stared at him. The great Sesshoumaru was modest?

"Why are you staring? Have I suddenly grown a second head?"

Kagome looked away. "Well, you no longer have to worry about me looking at you with god-like reverence."

He did not respond, just turned and opened the door for them to leave. When she didn't continue, he finally stopped. "Why?"

"I always thought that nothing bothered you. Now I find that you are intimidated by mere women looking at your body."

"And laughing, do not forget the laughing."

Kagome chuckled, grabbing hold of his arm. "They weren't laughing at you. They were tittering."

"Tittering…explain."

"They laughed because they were embarrassed at the thoughts your nakedness caused."

Sesshoumaru shook his head and led her back towards the house. "I will never understand women."

Kagome smiled. "We were created with no guide. It's half of our charm. Now, you're going to have to show me to this dress, I need time to change so that I can be presentable beside the great Lord of the Western Lands."

She stopped when his arm quit moving. Turning to look at him, she was surprised to find him frowning. "I am just a businessman with enough money to buy a castle. Do not refer to me using the title we both know I was born into. My fellow businessmen know nothing of my past."

Kagome put her hands on her waist and glared at him. "Seth Shujin, how dare you question my intelligence? However, we both know who you are, and I will do nothing to bring dishonor on that name."

A young woman came out and escorted Kagome to her room. Sesshoumaru stared at the shoji she had passed beyond. "Dishonor is not in your nature."

"Excuse me sir?" Jaken stood at the door, a question in his entire mannerism.

"Nothing Jacque. Let us prepare for the evening."

**A/N:** I hope each of you enjoyed this chapter. I also hope you each had a really good week last week! I got to spend some time this weekend playing Guitar Hero III. If any of you haven't tried this game series yet, it's a hoot! Thank you to all of you wonderful people who have taken the time to read this story and especially thanks to all of you who have reviewed so far. 'Til next week… -TK


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

The business gathering was a traditionally elegant affair. The shoji on the first floor were all opened wide, allowing the guests to treat the castle like one large room divided by pillars and small demi-walls. Each guest honored the tradition of leaving shoes at the door, and they were all gifted with a very comfortable pair of slippers to wear during their stay and take with them as a parting gift.

The first guest was early. Although Sesshoumaru was already downstairs checking on the ice statue of a crane and the buffet tables, Kagome had yet to make her appearance. Johnathan Meyers was in charge of Sesshoumaru's American Subsidiaries. His wife was expecting and had stayed home for this trip. He was slightly homesick, and even more concerned about his wife's welfare. Even though Sesshoumaru had informed him his presence was not absolutely required, Johnathan felt that the other presidents might not agree. They were both discussing a possible levered buyout of a competitor when the shoji behind him opened and he had the distinct pleasure to be the first creature to ever see Sesshoumaru completely lose his train of thought, and survive to retell the experience.

Kagome was clothed in a deep red dress with a silvery white over-layer. The red silk moved with her every breath, rippling across her stomach and flaring out over black slippers, while the silver over-layer was of the finest thread so that it appeared more as a sheen than a true layer. The straps lay on slim shoulders, leaving her arms bare except for a bracelet made up of several slim silver chains. A large square diamond on a thin silver chain hung just above her cleavage, and smaller diamonds dangled from her ears. Feeling that she was being stared at, she froze and turned towards the observer.

Sesshoumaru was wearing a black tuxedo. Kagome sucked in her breath, realizing the effect his silver hair created with the skin loving silk. He was breathtaking, and she was sure he knew it.

Walking past Johnathan as if he had suddenly become an inanimate object, Sesshoumaru stopped in front of Kagome and bowed lightly. "Please, join me for the evening."

Johnathan turned as Sesshoumaru walked past, and caught his breath at the sight. The curling ebony locks made her look like the Japanese version of his idea of Snow White. Her skin was the slight yellow tint of most Asians, but it was fair enough to be considered snow. Her lips were the same color as her dress, and reminded him of the deep red of Christmas ornaments. Her eyes were shadowed in gray, making him wonder if they were blue, or brown. It was hard to tell in the light. A delicate blush covered her cheeks, and he watched as she took the host's arm and walked into the room.

She froze as she met the eyes of their first guest. Squeezing Sesshoumaru's arm slightly, she let go and bowed.

As Sesshoumaru watched Johnathan's eyes follow her cleavage as she leaned forward, he suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to tell her one little detail. When she leaned back up, Sesshoumaru whispered something very lightly in her ear, and they made eye contact as she acknowledged his instructions.

Johnathan was slightly curious, but realized what had passed between them when the next person arrived. Instead of bowing, she curtsied, and Johnathan had one instant's thanks that he'd gotten to see the earlier version. Embarrassed that he was thinking about another woman's cleavage when his own wife was at home waiting to bring his child into the world, he shuffled off to check out the delicacies on the buffet table.

Kagome was nervous, that clutching dread never quite receding with the evening. However, Sesshoumaru was the consummate host, and he covered any possible blunder before she could make it. As the evening progressed, she learned that the real meeting was to occur in the morning, at the offices in Tokyo. Tonight was an opportunity for the presidents to meet and make acquaintances with the ones they didn't know. The relationship between business persons is as important in Asian culture as the business being discussed and tonight's dinner was solely for socialization.

Sesshoumaru was pleased with his newest addition. Johnathan had made sacrifices to attend this meeting. Since he had already told the other presidents that Johnathan might not be able to make it because of his wife's condition, each was surprised to see him. As a result, they gave him greater respect, realizing his desire to build friendships with the others was so strong. Although his Japanese was not perfect, it was apparent to all that he had tried to learn at least the basic polite terms. The American subsidiary had only been purchased eight months ago and his efforts showed he cared about his new company.

The last guest left around eleven, and Kagome was stifling a yawn as Sesshoumaru walked back into the meeting room. "Did you eat anything?"

Kagome rubbed her stomach, wondering why the nerves wouldn't go away. "Not much. I can't seem to get the knots to loosen."

Sesshoumaru walked over and pulled her close, almost like a father to a child. "There is no reason for you to be nervous. You honored my family tonight."

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Sesshoumaru-sama." Kagome could feel tears welling up at his compliment. "That you for inviting me."

He pulled back, wiping a tear before it could fall off her lashes. "Come, let us see if we can find anything to appease the stomach gods so we can find peaceful sleep." He walked them over to the table and they spent the next few minutes eating little bits of everything that looked pleasing.

"What do you do with the leftovers?"

"They are always gone in the morning. I do not concern myself with leftovers."

She chuckled, earning a raised eyebrow. "I was thinking about those green imps that carry the soul to the underworld. But instead of souls, these carry hors d'oeuvres."

"Hmmm. Maybe it is a good think Tenseiga only killed the soul minions. I do not like leftovers."

After they finished their migratory visit around the table, he asked if she was tired enough to sleep. Her drooping eyelids answered with more truth than her 'maybe.'

Leading her to the third level, he took her back to the room she had prepared in and turned to leave.

"Sesshoumaru…"

He stopped, not turning to look at the temptress standing behind him. "Yes Kagome."

"I can't get the hook at the top of this dress. If you could…"

"I will send someone to assist you. Goodnight Kagome." Closing the shoji, he walked down the hall without pause.

When the female servant opened the shoji, she was greeted with a princess unconscious on the bed. It was obvious she'd fallen across it and gone to sleep where she lay. Walking over, she unhooked the stubborn eyelet hooks and unzipped the gown. Unable to wake the woman, and less than willing to bother the only person in the castle strong enough to pick her up and finish the job, she draped a blanked over the sleeping woman and quietly closed the shoji.

Sesshoumaru was not sure what woke him. One instant he was asleep, the next he was reaching for Tokijin. Reminding himself that certain blade had been broken for over five-hundred years, he reached under the mattress and retrieved a weapon that was almost as effective. After wrapping a kimono around his naked form, he silently opened the shoji and stealthily made his way towards the noise. Stopping outside of the room he had assigned to Kagome, he frowned. Realizing the implications of noises in her room, he threw open the shoji and roared in, hoping the noise would startle any perpetrator before he could cause more damage. Nothing reacted to his entrance and he took a quick survey of the surroundings. Kagome was the only creature in the room. She was laying in the middle of the bed, covered in a loose dress and a haphazardly draped blanket.

As he started to leave, he froze when she whimpered. Turning back, he realized she was curled into a ball, crying in her sleep. Walking over to the futon, he sat down slowly on the padding and reached a hand out to comfort. "What ails you tonight, warrior priestess?"

Wild eyes opened to stare at him unseeing. Clutching the cloth of his robe, she looked into his face. "Fire everywhere. Get out! Get out now!"

Startled, Sesshoumaru took a deep breath. There was no smell of smoke. "Kagome, it is okay. There is no fire here."

"Flames are shooting out the windows! Hurry, call the firemen. The lady in 14C uses a walker, she won't make it. Hurry, call them!"

"Jaken!" The masculine roar woke the toad. Running to his master's room, he threw open the door to find the room empty. "Jaken!" Realizing it was coming from the guest room, he turned and headed down the hall.

"Yes Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Call Pyusuke, find out if Kagome's apartment is on fire. If it is, tell him to make sure the old woman in 14C is rescued." Sesshoumaru continued to hold the shivering woman in his arms. Although it was probably only a few minutes, to him it felt like hours. Suddenly she went limp and was again sleeping peacefully. As awake as he had ever been in his life, he tucked the blanket back around her and quietly closed the shoji to keep from waking her. Walking into his study, he looked at Jaken, who was still on the phone.

Seeing Sesshoumaru out of the corner of his eye, he put his hand over the mouthpiece and looked at the tall man. "How?"

"Kagome dreamed it. How bad is it?"

"The whole thing is gone. It apparently had substandard materials and went up like a match. There was a gas leak in the room below Kagome's. It's a good thing she was not there, her apartment was incinerated."

Sesshoumaru refused to think about the alternative. "The lady in 14C?"

"Slight smoke inhalation. Pyusuke said to tell you thanks for that tip. She had only moved in the week before. He also wanted to know if he could borrow your psychic to close a couple cold cases." At Sesshoumaru's glare, Jaken took his hand off the receiver. "Sorry sir, Sesshoumaru-sama said this was a one-time offer." He listened for a minute. "I understand, but I don't think this person is a true psychic. I believe this was a single-time tip." Hanging up the phone, he looked at his once master. "Sir, if you're done with me…"

"Goodnight Jaken. Thank you. Sleep in, I will take care of our resident psychic."

"Will you be able to go back to sleep?"

"No, I am up. It is okay, I will use this time to catch up on the American markets." Watching as his retainer headed back to bed, Sesshoumaru slowly turned to look out the window and contemplate this newest twist to his fate.

**A/N**: Again, thank you for taking the time to read this fic. Thank you to each of you who sent reviews too. I received some very lovely reviews last week. I hope each of you has a great week this week. Until next Monday -TK


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

The next morning, Kagome awoke refreshed and ready to attack the day. The fact that when she awoke she recognized none of her surroundings was only slightly daunting. Sitting up and realizing she was mostly naked was slightly more daunting. However, it was the small revolver lying on the floor next to the mattress that made her pinch herself to make sure she was awake. "Ouch!"

Sure that someone in this dreaded place would have an answer to her unsettling questions, she took the dress off and threw a robe over her body. Sliding open the shoji, she stuck her head out and listened. Hearing noises that sounded like life, she headed down the hall. Recognizing the path from the night before, she confidently turned the corner to head down the stairs and ran into a short man in a brown yukata. "Sorry Jaken."

Jaken looked up at Kagome. "Do you feel better today?"

She stretched, her arms out at her sides. "I feel great today. Thanks for asking!" Not thinking about why he'd ask her such a strange question, she continued on her path. Suddenly she smelled food. Her stomach happily reacting to the smell of eggs and rice, she hurried towards the smell.

Sesshoumaru was reading the paper when Kagome burst into the room, the yellow yukata making her look sunnier than she had the rights to. Trying not to growl at her, realizing she was going to have a bad enough day, he pointed at a tray on the jade counter. "Breakfast. Eggs are a little dry, I did not think you would mind too much."

She was already digging in. Suddenly she froze, mouth half-full. "You made this?"

"Yes. I was up, you were not; and the staff was given the night off."

"It's good. Thanks" Shoveling another mouthful in, she suddenly froze. "What do you mean 'I was up, you were not'?" She glared at him. "Did you assume that I would fix your food if I was up when you got hungry?"

He raised an eyebrow, a habit that she found highly annoying this sunny morning. "You are the woman. Besides, I saw those tasty treats you brought through the well."

"The ramen? Ninja-food as InuYasha called it?"

"No, the sushi in the bright bento boxes. The food that the more cultured members of your party ate. I did not know what some of it was, but it all smelled good."

Kagome tilted her head. "You spied on us?"

"On occasion. I got bored in-between fighting with Naraku and my brother. Your ragtag band was a light diversion."

"You never attacked me when I came out of the well."

"Why would I? You were not my enemy. In fact, you fought my enemy. That made you an ally. When you finish your meal, go take a soak in the bathhouse. You might as well take this opportunity to relax, you earned it."

Smiling at him, she did exactly as he recommended. An hour later, her hair still wrapped in a towel but the rest of her properly dressed, she walked back into her temporary room. The gun still sat on the covers. Suddenly remembering why she'd initially left the room that morning, she picked the weapon up and went searching for Sesshoumaru. Finding him in his study, she knocked quietly on the door.

Sesshoumaru looked up from his papers and motioned her into the room. "Kagome, please, sit down."

Kagome sat, holding the gun in her lap. Japan had outlawed guns years ago. She didn't know what it meant that she'd woken up with one in her room, but she was going to find out. "Sesshoumaru-sama, were you in my room last night?"

"Yes. I was awoken by a strange noise. When I found it coming from your room, I went to investigate." He noticed the gun in her lap. "I did not mean to leave that in your room."

She handed it back to him. "Did you intend to use it?"

"If I had to."

"If you had to?"

"I did not know what I would find when I opened the screen to your room."

Suddenly Kagome realized he had planned to use it to protect her, not kill her. Laughing nervously, she put her hands over her eyes.

"No, I was not going to use it on you, I am disappointed you do not know me better than that."

She smiled. "I do, that's why I didn't just shoot you. I didn't know these were allowed."

"They are not; but this is my castle, and here I make the laws. The government does not need to know about everything. My weapons do not leave my castle."

"What was the noise?"

"Kagome, do you remember anything after you entered your room?"

"Did something happen to me?"

"Do you remember having a bad dream?"

Kagome thought very hard. "I remember orange and blue flashes, and people screaming."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "You had a nightmare. In it there was a fire, and an old woman was trapped in her apartment."

"Mrs. Otasuke, 14C." Kagome started shaking, and she was glad she was sitting down. "She was trapped and there was a wall of fire outside of her room."

Sesshoumaru came around the desk and knelt at her feet. Grabbing her now icy hands, he rubbed them to provide warmth. "You saved her life."

"What?"

Reaching behind him, he grabbed the newspaper off of his desk. Opening it to the front page, he handed it her.

"Tokyo apartment complex burns when gas main explodes." The picture showed giant flames leaping out of her bedroom window. "Oh my gosh. That's my apartment! Did I leave the gas on?"

"No. You did nothing wrong. But, did you piss off the Fates or something?"

Kagome smiled sadly, realizing she was again out of a home. "Didn't you know that those bitches are my wicked step-sisters?"

Somewhere deep below the earth's crust, the three sisters sneezed simultaneously. They all turned to glare at Satan. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to shoveling coal on the fire. "Sorry ladies, ever since those blessed Red Sox won the World Series…"

**A/N:** I hope each of you enjoyed this chapter. Please have a great week. Thank you to all my beautiful reviewers. You are appreciated!!! Later - TK


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

"What does this mean for me?" Kagome looked at him over the wrinkled paper.

"My offer from last time still stands. Stay here with me."

"But that puts me again in a house full of demons. Does this mean we'd have to again share a bed?"

Sesshoumaru nodded, his eyes grave.

"It's not proper."

"Do you have any other option?"

She thought. It still was the best choice. "You'll behave?"

"I have never crossed any lines with you before."

"The last time I stayed with you, we weren't dating."

Sesshoumaru felt his eyes crinkle. "There is that."

"So you admit we're dating?"

"You admitted it, I merely agreed with your statement."

She looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "Does this mean you'll tell everyone I asked you out since I admitted it first?"

His eyes widened. "It is tempting, but dishonorable. The great Sesshoumaru will take credit for being a man."

"So, what do I do?"

"Considering all you have to your name is the dress I bought for the party, and the clothes you arrived in, I suggest you start shopping for clothes."

Kagome suddenly looked up at him, tears filling her eyes. "My lingerie. I never even got to wear it!"

He closed his eyes, trying to block out sudden visions of a mostly naked Kagome in black lace. "I do not want to know."

"Oh Lucy is going to be so upset. All that black silk and lace!" She looked up to see the great Taiyoukai stomping out of the room as if the imps of Satan were after him.

By the end of the day, Kagome again had enough clothes to allow her to function as a normal person. Putting the clothes away, she was startled when Sesshoumaru walked into the room. "Woman, you cannot stay in here."

Kagome blinked. When had she reverted from Kagome back to Woman? "Oh great Lord of Western Lands, where do you want me to put my things?"

"In the master suite. My servants are back." He turned and left, not acknowledging her snippy comments.

Thinking that maybe it was a good thing that Sesshoumaru had again become a block of ice, she hurriedly repacked and carried her bags down the hall.

Sesshoumaru's bedroom was a Samurai warrior's dream. A large futon on a raised platform was covered in royal blue silk with cavorting demon dogs woven in silver over the surface. The windows had bamboo slats across them, throwbacks to the days when arrows could still be shot through an open window. There were rugs scattered across the floor. Some she recognized as animal pelts although she didn't recognize what kind of creature they'd come from. A small door to the side of the room opened to reveal a modern bathroom, complete with shower and flushing toilet. The walls held large silk tapestries depicting different Youkai battle scenes and she knew she was looking at history, not fiction. Turning to the large armoire, she opened the doors to reveal an entertainment center. Surprised to see such modern conveniences in this ancient castle, she finally located the dresser and unpacked her clothes, determined to survive this latest twist to her life.

When she started down the stairs, she again smelled food. Hurrying toward the room she'd had breakfast, afraid she was late, Kagome was shocked to find the first floor had been returned to its former state. Shoji screens again cut off different areas, and all traces of revelry were gone.

A woman who resembled a mole peeked out of an open doorway and smiled. "Are you looking for Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Kagome laughed, trying to keep her composure. "Heh, yes."

A soft hand grabbed her arm. "Well come on, it's just about time to sit down and eat." As the woman pushed her into a dining room, Kagome was startled to see many people sitting at the table.

Bowing in polite acknowledgement of the strangers, she waited for Sesshoumaru to speak. "Miss Higurashi, please join us." Looking up, she noticed the vacant chair next to him and quickly walked over to sit. "Gentlemen, this is Higurashi Kagome. You might remember her from last night. She is an honored guest in my home." Several eyes went from speculative to accepting as he called her 'honored.'

"Konbanwa." She bowed, not making eye contact with any individual, as tradition required.

"Konbanwa." The others answered.

Greetings said, she sat silently while the meal was served and business was discussed. Over several courses, and many small sake bottles, she got the general idea of the direction Sesshoumaru's business was headed. Beginning to feel the effects of the day, she tried to hide a yawn behind her napkin.

Sesshoumaru had been waiting on such a signal. They had conducted all the business that was imperative and had regressed to discussing trivial matters. He was ready for everyone to leave. Mr. Meyers had an early flight, and he wanted to make sure the man made it home to his wife. Standing, he announced their business concluded. Everyone else stood, including Kagome. As they took their leave, she stood at his side, blinking to stay awake. As the last employee left, Sesshoumaru took her arm and gently ushered her up the stairs.

When they reached the door to his room, she opened it, thanked him for a lovely evening and shut it in his face. He stood outside his bedroom, the one he had been living in for most of a thousand years, and counted backwards from fifty, in Russian.

Slowly opening the door, he saw that Kagome was sitting on the edge of the bed, a blush prevalent on her cheeks. "I didn't mean to shut you out of your own room. I forgot until I saw the bed."

He walked over and sat beside her. "I am not going to eat you. Yes, it made me mad, but I am over it."

"You were out there for a long time."

"My Russian is rusty."

She turned puzzled eyes to him. "Huh?"

"Nothing. It is time to get ready for bed. Feel free to use the bathroom first. There is a small yukata hanging on the back of the door for you."

She stood and walked to the door, turning to look at him. "Thank you Sesshoumaru-sama."

He looked up. "For what?"

"Taking care of me." She closed the door, effectively eliminating any need to respond.

When she came out, they traded positions. Hoping she would be asleep when he walked back into his bedroom, he took an extra long time brushing his teeth and preparing for sleep. Taking time to inspect all of his teeth, especially his sharp canines, he flossed, gargled, brushed, and decided to rinse and repeat. Deciding his teeth had been tortured enough, he snapped the light out and opened the door to find two very uncertain blue eyes looking at him. "Dammit, you are supposed to be asleep."

She looked at her hands. "I don't know what side of the bed you sleep on."

He shook his head. "Pick a side. I do not care."

"But…"

"Woman, what side do you normally sleep on?" When she didn't answer, he glared at her. "Still waiting on an answer."

"I sleep in the middle."

Sesshoumaru wondered which god he had angered. "Take the right side."

"So you sleep on the left side?" She pulled the covers back and crawled beneath them, turning her back to the left side."

"I do now." He grumbled under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing. Go to sleep." He snapped off the light and crawled under the covers.

Neither fell asleep quickly.

ssssssss

It was the sunlight tickling her nose that woke Kagome. She nuzzled her face into the soft mattress she was sleeping on and made happy grumbly noises.

Sesshoumaru had never slept so well in his life. He had warm furs covering him, and his hands were clasped securely around the softest flesh.

Neither of them knew who opened eyes first. All they knew is that when they did, they were staring at each other. Somehow during the night, they had both migrated towards their normal places in bed. Sesshoumaru on the bottom, Kagome on top.

"I thought you slept on the left side of the bed." Kagome was trying to take this in stride.

"I never said that."

"So you actually sleep on the right side?"

"I actually have always slept in the middle, the same as you."

"Can I have my ass back?"

Sesshoumaru had never gotten out of a bed so fast. Before Kagome could blink, she was the only person in the room.

**A/N:** Thank you for reading this story. I hope that this chapter was fun for you. Thank you again to each of you who took the time to review. I thoroughly enjoy reading your opinions. I hope everyone has a great week. -TK


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

When Kagome finally composed herself, she headed downstairs to the morning eating area.

Watching her walk to the buffet, Sesshoumaru wondered how long it would take for her to say something about their condition upon awaking. As she sat down with half a grapefruit, he held his breath. It would not take long enough for him to turn blue.

"I'll start looking for another apartment today." She took a bite of grapefruit, her face screwing up at the bitter flavor.

"Tastes better with a little bit of sugar on top." He casually reached into the sugar bowl and tossed a handful over the fruit.

"I didn't say I wanted any sugar. However, you didn't take my feelings into consideration." Kagome was not in a good mood and she didn't want anyone else to be in a good mood either. Two apartments in less than two months, she was beginning to feel paranoid. She was less upset about waking up straddling him than she was about losing her home again.

"I did not say I wanted you to get another apartment. However, I doubt you will take my feelings into consideration."

"You poured sugar all over my fruit just so you could tell me you have feelings?"

"No. I poured sugar all over your fruit because I wanted you to enjoy your breakfast, instead of dreading the next bite."

"Maybe I LIKE sour things."

He leaned over until they were almost nose-to-nose. "I have watched your eating habits for five hundred years. You have a sweet tooth. Now shut up and eat your fruit."

She grumbled, but the fruit _was_ better with sugar. "So, now that you've made a very dramatic point…"

"Pouring sugar on your grapefruit was NOT dramatic." He rolled his eyes. _'__Look who is being dramatic!'_

"If you'll let me finish."

He did a mock bow. "The floor is yours."

"If I don't get another apartment, what am I going to do for a place to live? I cannot live with my mother and commute to work every day. It's too far." She pointed the spoon at him. "And staying with Souta is out of the question."

"How about staying here and using my VR equipment as a remote work site?"

"Even if my boss will allow that, we get back into the entire 'newest mistress' issue."

"Not if you marry me."

Silence reigned.

'_If I had known that a marriage proposal was all it took to shut her up, I would have asked months ago.'_

Although her reply was whispered, he caught it. "But I don't love you."

A small part of him was angered at this, than the larger part was angered because of that anger. "What good has love ever done you? Why not try something else this time?"

"Mutual attraction?" Kagome scowled at him.

He raised his eyebrows in consideration. "I was thinking about our common history and maybe something that could be classified as friendship, but lust works too."

She sat for a moment, poking the grapefruit and letting the sugary syrup run into the cuts. Looking up, she met his eyes unflinchingly. "You know, we do have a friendship."

"Let us not forget lust. It is also obvious that we are attracted to each other." He picked up his coffee cup and watched as blood rushed to her cheeks.

They sat in silence for the rest of the meal. As the servants were entering to clean up, Sesshoumaru grabbed her hand and led her out of the room. "We need to finish this conversation, and we need to be someplace we can discuss it freely."

"If you suggest your bedroom…"

"I was thinking about the library, but if you want to move straight past foreplay…"

She smiled bitterly. "The library it is. Hope I can find a good book." She headed for the front door.

"My library." He watched as Kagome's smile widened. It made her entire face glow. He did not want to think about his automatic reaction to such joy.

"I didn't know you had a library." She followed him to the fifth floor and looked at all the books, an entire floor of books. "Why didn't you show me this room yesterday? I'd have moved in here immediately." When he didn't answer, she realized why he'd not shown her this room during the tour. In a very quiet voice, she continued. "You didn't want me in here because this is your sanctuary." She turned and started for the stairs.

Sesshoumaru grabbed her shoulders and stopped her. Leaning over he whispered in her ear, causing shivers to work their way up her spine. "I have one in each of my homes. But, I did not know you would be staying with me, remember?" Before she could reply, he continued. "Will you focus long enough for us to talk about the future?" He let go and walked over to a pair of leather chairs. "Have a seat."

Kagome sat down and crossed one knee over the other. She didn't want Sesshoumaru to realize she was so nervous. "Why are you so concerned with my well being?"

"Besides respecting you for the care you showed Rin, and having 'dated' you these last few months, you are one of the only remaining creatures who remember the glory days of the youkai. Plus by defeating Naraku, you have earned a place of honor as a mighty warrior."

"So you want to marry me to put me on display as a museum piece?"

A scowl was forming on both of their faces. "No."

"What do you want from me?"

Suddenly Sesshoumaru got out of his chair and bent down on one knee, grabbing her hands gently. "I have fallen madly in love with you. Marry me and bear my children, spend the rest of our days living in the embrace of my arms."

Kagome was blushing furiously, and it wasn't from embarrassment.

As she yanked her hands away, Sesshoumaru coldly stood up and walked back over to his chair. "As you can see, great emotion coming from this Sesshoumaru would only be taken as hypocrisy."

"I won't argue with you there." She turned to look anywhere but at the man sitting beside her. "Can I have some time to think about it?"

"One week. And in that time, I wish to talk with your mother." He picked up a packet of papers off the little table beside his chair.

Hitomi! She's staying at Mom's right now because the wedding is Saturday. "Ano, Sesshoumaru?"

He looked up from his work. "Yes?" her face was bright red. "This will be a platonic marriage, until you are ready to pursue more. If you are never ready, I will understand."

"But…"

He cut her off. "Kagome, I understand your concern, but it has been so long since I have had sex, it is not likely I will go raving mad if I do not have a wedding night."

Kagome was tightly holding her hands in her lap. "That's good to know, but I needed to talk to you about something else." For the first time ever, Kagome looked up to see Sesshoumaru's cheekbones liberally covered in a blush. _'__Well, it's probably a good thing he was thinking about sex, at least I know he's not indifferent to me.' _"As you know, my brother is getting married next Saturday."

"I apologize for embarrassing you by talking about private things. And yes, I remember you telling me that Souta was getting married."

"Well, I kinda made up a story about you to his fiancée."

He put down his papers to look at her. "What kind of story?"

"Well, she wanted to know why you went by an assumed name."

"And how did she find out about my real name?"

She rolled her eyes. "Souta."

"I see, that does add complications." She was sitting there with her hands clenched tightly in her lap, and he wondered if she would ever feel comfortable enough around him to let him crawl in between those long legs of hers.

"…you used to be married…" His mind suddenly jerked back into a safer, less exciting place.

"I have never been married."

"Never, not once during the last five hundred years?" She looked at him with disbelief.

He scowled at her. "No."

"Well, I made it up anyways, so if she asks you about your ex-wife…"

"I will tell her I killed her and ate her for lunch one day."

"No!" Kagome glared at him. "Your ex-wife is a crazy woman who is stalking you to impregnate her so that she can continue the line of priestess demon goddesses."

Sesshoumaru blinked, very deliberately. "Excuse me, did Souta's woman actually _believe_ this?"

Kagome sighed. "Yes, she did."

"She is an even bigger fool than you are." He stood and started walking away.

The low growl stopped him. "If you leave this room, I will purify you until you are nothing but a smoking chunk of indifferent meat!" He stopped, if for no other reason than to hear what she had to say, but he did not turn to look at her. "I'm not a fool, I was trying to cover your trail since my brother screwed up and let on that you had a different name. I couldn't have her calling you Sesshoumaru in public, no telling if lesser Youkai out there would hear that name and cause you problems."

Sesshoumaru sighed, it was not worth the grief to fight her on this one. "And since they are having the traditional Shinto wedding, it is to be held at your brother's house, the Shrine. Let me guess, Hitomi is spending her last unmarried week with your mother preparing for the ceremony while your brother finishes preparing their new home."

"Yes."

"Fine. If she asks me anything about my past, I will know what to say."

"Just don't tell her that you ate your wife, she doesn't know you're a demon."

"No. I have been acting for centuries, I will come up with something."

He left Kagome sitting there with shaking hands. "At least he didn't eat me."_ 'Yeah, but you'd like him to.'_ Furiously blushing at the thought of that tall man doing such forbidden things to her body, she suddenly had the incentive to think of ways to stay out of his presence for the rest of the day.

**A/N:** Wow! I sure did get a lot of reviews last week, thank you all so much! I hope each of you enjoyed this chapter as well. Please have a good week. -TK


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

The following week was fraught with nerves and snappy demons. Since Kagome was feeling extreme pressure to make the decision that would affect the rest of her life, her attitude was affecting everyone in the house. Sesshoumaru tried to be gone as much as possible, since he was also not immune. By Thursday, he realized that he would know her decision when the house settled down. He would also know if she told him the correct decision by the vibes she would emit while telling him. A little relieved that he did not have to worry about her choosing impetuously, he continued about his business.

When Sesshoumaru walked in from work on Saturday evening, a very calm toad met him at the door. Bowing deeply, Jaken smiled. "Good evening sir."

_I see that she has made her decision. Now all I have to do is wait to find out what it is._ Sesshoumaru nodded back and they entered the house. Dinner was a quiet affair. Sesshoumaru wanted to know his fate, and Kagome did not want to share it. Finally realizing she was not going to tell him, he showed his bad temper for the first time all week and stomped off to the dojo to demolish a few training dummies.

When he finally calmed down and headed to bed, he remembered that Kagome would still be sharing his bed. The last week had been hell. Knowing that she had decided but was not telling him was going to make the last six nights feel like practice runs for a night of the real thing. Crawling in beside her warm body, Sesshoumaru turned so his back was to her and chanted mantras until he finally fell asleep around dawn.

Before he knew it, small hands were shaking him awake. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you need get up. If you don't, we're going to be late to my brother's wedding."

Not wanting to face the world, but knowing he needed to, Sesshoumaru threw the covers back and stood. Stretching vertically, he then walked down to the ofuru and took a leisurely bath. When he exited, Kagome was in her ceremonial garb and his had been laid on the bed. Since neither of them was actually in the ceremony, their outfits were not of the traditional colors.

Kagome blushed as she realized he was standing there naked under a towel and left him to himself. In less than thirty minutes, they were on their way.

ssssss

Souta, in the traditional shinto wedding uniform, was standing under Shimboku. Since he and Hitomi had decided to celebrate the traditional Shinto style marriage, this guest list was made only of family. The shrine would be opened after the ceremony for all of their friends and a second, western style wedding would be performed at that time. Instead of both of them coming in at the same time, Souta decided to stand and wait under the tree. Each guest had tied a silver paper streamer to the prayer chain around the tree to symbolize a wish for the couple. It now stood proud, watching yet another generation of Higurashi's start. As Souta stood and waited for his bride to join them, Kagome leaned towards Sesshoumaru. "He looks so young standing there, like someone from the past."

Sesshoumaru itched to put his hand over the one lightly resting on his knee. Kagome had seen Sango and Miroku exchange vows in a very similar ceremony. The only difference is that their priest was Miroku's drunkard uncle, not Kagome's crazy grandfather. He understood the types of memories that she was being faced with, almost a dichotomy of the spirit. Part of her was sitting five hundred years in the past, and the other part was trying to make that part come to terms with what was reality. Just as he noticed a tear start down her cheek, drum and flute music started and everyone turned to watch.

Hitomi was wearing her traditional Shinto dress, a multi-layered white kimono with the traditional wig decorated with combs, flowers and even a butterfly. As she reached Souta, a light breeze started, ruffling the paper streamers. Her family sighed in relief, it was a good omen that the sacred tree was shaking its paper streamers over the new couple. Their vows were said with respect, than they celebrated their newly forming bond through the traditional sake cup exchange, 'san-san-kudo'.

As the traditional ceremony ended, Kagome reached over and took Sesshoumaru's hand. Turning to look at him, she said the one word that would change his life. "Hai."

There were many times in which Sesshoumaru cursed his indifferent nature. This was one such moment. Kagome had chosen this moment because she knew that he was not the type to show great emotion, and she had given him the perfect reason not to. However, inuyoukai always showed great emotion when their suit had been accepted. He had to stifle the desire to howl to the nations that his proposal had been accepted. He also wanted to pick her up and carry her off. He knew that there would be no marking unless she accepted him as her mate; but that did not stop the blood beast from wanting it.

The rest of the day was incredibly difficult for Sesshoumaru. Not because the couple changed into western clothing and had a second, modern ceremony followed by a huge reception on the grounds; but because he wanted to take Kagome somewhere completely private and ask her to reconfirm her decision. As the couple finished the ceremony by presenting the mothers with floral bouquets and the fathers with the traditional carnation, they left for their honeymoon and Sesshoumaru could finally take Kagome home. Or so he thought.

First Kagome had to help her mother take all of the food in. Special preparations were made to keep the top layer of the wedding cake intact for the new couple. Deciding to help, Sesshoumaru picked up the punch bowl and carried the tipsy liquid into the house. Both mother and daughter stood and gaped at the man as he gracefully set the bowl down and straightened up.

"Um…" Kagome's mom was the first to speak. "That's red punch."

"Yes, it is."

"You're wearing a white shirt and tie…"

He looked down at his clothing. "What kind of man do you think I am?"

"I…"

Kagome cut in. "Seth, we're both just amazed that you carried that bowl all the way from outside in to here without spilling a single drop on your very expensive outfit."

He snorted. "As if this…"

"Yes, yes…" Kagome interrupted him. "I know you're incredible. Now, if you're done bragging, there are some other items you can bring in."

Sesshoumaru glared at her. _'__Bragging, we will see who has bragging rights after this.'_ He turned and walked smartly back outside to bring in the rest of the food.

The ladies finished putting the food away and when they walked outside, they stopped dead in their tracks. Sesshoumaru was sitting, feet propped up beside a miniature Buddha statue, drinking in the late afternoon sunshine. All of the chairs and tables were stacked up in a nice pile, and Jiji-chan was snoring under the tree.

Kagome ran over to him and punched his arm. "Did you make my grandfather clean up all of this on his own?" Sesshoumaru just looked at her. Suddenly she leaned over, lightly kissing his cheek. "Thank you for cleaning up."

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yes. Just let me say bye to Mom."

"I will be in the car." He stood and walked down the steps of the shrine, waiting until Michael noticed him and pulled the car up. Opening the door, he leaned forward. "Kagome will be here in a few minutes. I am ready to go home."

When Kagome started down the stairs, Michael got out and opened the door for her. As she sat down beside Sesshoumaru, she reached over and gently grabbed his hand, holding it until he woke her up as they arrived back at the castle. She had fallen asleep shortly after they left Tokyo Proper and had slept curled against him for the entire trip.

When Michael opened the door to let them out, Sesshoumaru picked Kagome up and carried her into the house. She was light in comparison to his strength and he carried her upstairs without any problems. When he reached the bedroom, he gently laid her on his side of the bed and pulled the sheets down on her side. Once the bed was prepared, he moved her back over and proceeded to take her shoes and socks off. Her dress looked comfortable enough to sleep in, but her brassiere did not. Steeling his resolve, he rolled her sideways, unhooked the bra through her dress and gently pulled it off her shoulders. Damning himself to all sorts of terrors, he brought it to his nose, taking a deep scent of his future mate. Sighing in reaction, he tossed it carelessly towards the chair and prepared for bed himself. He took one look at her sleeping form, than crawled onto his side of the bed and slept.

**A/N:** Wow! Last chapter sure did elicit a whole lot of emotion from folks. Good, I like it when my stories cause the readers to think. For those of you who asked a myriad of questions, keep reading. Everything will explain itself. Half of the fun is not knowing exactly what the ice man is thinking. But if you've done a good character study of Sesshoumaru, you already know the answers to the questions you've asked, you're just waiting to see if I remained faithful to the character in my writing. I'm not sure I've kept Kagome in character very well. Fortunately she's grown up and changed a little (and not always to the good). Let me know if you agree or not. Again, I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read, and those that review for taking an extra few minutes to leave your thoughts. I really appreciate my regulars! If my posting on Monday helps bring a little brightness to that poor day, your reviews brighten my dull Tuesdays (and hectic Wednesdays). I hope each of you have a marveh-lous week this week and I'll ping another chapter at you next Mon. -TK


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

Kagome always thought the morning after the first time she had sex would be the most awkward time. However, as she opened her eyes and stared into non-blinking golden ones, she realized that any morning after would be awkward. In this case, it was 'the morning after I agreed to marry the Youkai lord of the western lands.' Deciding to take it in stride, she smiled. "Good morning Sesshoumaru-sama." The formality would help put things in perspective.

"I believe you have the wrong honorative. The correct honorative is –kun."

Kagome looked away. "I am sorry."

Sesshoumaru held his breath until he could not any longer. Reaching out a hand, he brought her chin around so that he was once more glancing into her face. "Why are you sorry?" _Please do not let it be because you did not mean to say yes._ Frowning at where that random thought came from, he waited.

"You're right, I'm sorry I'm still calling you –sama. It may take me a couple of days."

That invisible weight dropped off of his chest. "I have been told I am a patient man. We will work through this awkwardness together."

Kagome sat up, realizing she was still in her dress. "Why will it be awkward, and why am I still fully clothed?"

Sesshoumaru turned over and put one arm behind his head. Kagome was startled to discover that he had no shirt on, and the hair of his underarms was a white as what was on his head. She had an irresistible urge to reach over and tickle it, to see if he would react; but she stayed where she was.

"It will be awkward because I am a bachelor of over a thousand years, and you are marrying me for convenience, not love. You are still wearing your dress because I did not think you would appreciate me taking it off of you." He never looked at her while he was talking.

"Oh." They both stayed where they were, neither speaking. After a few moments, she looked at Sesshoumaru. "Can I get out of bed?"

He smirked. "I do not know, can you?"

"Well, what I mean to say is…if I get out of bed, will I expose…"

"I am wearing pajama pants. They are extremely comfortable and I highly recommend them." He watched as a blush stole into her face before she crawled out from underneath the covers and headed towards the bathroom.

As she unzipped her dress, she noticed there was no bra. "Funny, I had one on last night…"

Sesshoumaru stuck his head in, figuring she was not naked yet; but not upset if she was. "Before you ask, I removed it without taking liberties."

She blushed again. "Thank you." Bowing slightly, she gently pushed him back out the door and locked it.

Sesshoumaru was not sure what to do about being literally locked out of his own bathroom, but decided that it might be better if he left it alone for now.

Breakfast was a quiet, and tense, affair. Sesshoumaru spent most of it behind a newspaper, responding to any words that happened to make it across the table with monosyllabic responses.

Kagome didn't send too many words across the table, afraid to push him for some reason. He was the king of ice, but for some reason today didn't seem like a good day to pull the dog's tail.

As Sesshoumaru got up to leave, he stopped just behind Kagome. "You have a week to figure out how you want to handle the legal side of this merger." He stopped at the door. "For your information, we will be living in the mansion, not the castle. I only stay here when I am on vacation, or having social events."

He missed Kagome's frown when he called their marriage a 'merger.' However, she couldn't let the other go. Standing up, she ran after him, catching up to him in the garage. "Excuse me, but I thought the reason we were getting married was so that I could live here and commute."

"This Sesshoumaru's wife will not work."

"Damn you to hell Sesshoumaru-sama! I'm in the middle of a very important research project. I have an important job, one that could affect millions of people. My research could help cure cancer. You can't just make a statement like that and expect me to stand by it. I'll leave first." She turned her back on him, standing with her fists clenched and trembling.

Sesshoumaru froze at that threat. "Your work is that important to you?"

She nodded her head, "Yes it is."

Michael opened the door and stood there, about as uncomfortable as possible. Sesshoumaru finally touched her shoulder. "Let me think on it. Maybe we can come to an agreement." He got in the car and Michael closed the door before she could react to his newest statement.

Kagome spent the morning sitting at Sesshoumaru's desk, writing down and scribbling out options. It didn't take very long to realize that the traditional wedding wasn't going to work. "I can see it now, my grandfather throwing ofukas at my fiancée and Sesshoumaru coming across the prayer bench to embed his poison claws in the old man's neck." She banged her head on the desk. "I need to talk to mom."

A phone call home and a short dialogue with her mother was enough to have Kagome humming as she walked to the garage. The fact that Michael was with Sesshoumaru didn't keep her from borrowing a car. As she parked in front of the Higurashi Shrine, she wondered if her mother would like to take a spin.

Upon entering the grounds, she discovered that there was a rather large tour group listening to her grandfather. Sneaking by, she almost made it to the house. "Mago-musume… (granddaughter)," his voice was the no-nonsense of a Shinto priest.

"Hai. Sofu-san (grandfather, proper)." She bowed lightly to honor her grandfather in front of the guests. "I'm here to see okaa-san."

He waved her on. "She's in the house. Take her to lunch. Oh! And bring me back some soba, your mother under sauces it to reduce my salt intake." He pouted, and two of the guests hid smiles. Turning back to the group, he continued talking about the tree, and its importance in the sacred history line of the shrine.

Kagome smiled as she entered the house. No one would ever believe ojii-san's tale, but everyone in this house knew the truth. "Okaa-san…"

"In the kitchen dear." Kagome could smell something herby cooking.

"Are you cooking lunch?"

"No, Hitomi decided she wanted to try her hand at it." Kagome's mother looked a little concerned. "She over salts and Otou-san shouldn't have that much, it's bad for his gout."

Kagome looked over her mother's shoulder, true concern beginning to creep into her voice as she looked at the oily green paste in a bowl. "Mom, what are you doing?"

The woman in front of her laughed. "You'll think I'm being silly, but I just received a recipe from a friend. It's to make a sauce called 'pesuto.' I've been told it's really tasty with certain dishes."

Kagome smiled as her mother turned to look at her. "This wouldn't be the same 'friend' that keeps you up late at night on the phone?"

She blushed, reminding Kagome that her mother wasn't _that_ old. "How do you know about that?"

Leaning over, Kagome whispered. "Grandpa has been listening in on your phone conversations. He said he only listens to the good parts, so you might want to tone it down a little."

Watching the red rise in her mother's face, she decided it would be a good time to check her old room. "Mom, gotta get something out of my room, then I'm going to take you to lunch. You can tell me ALL about this man that likes pesuto."

Kagome barely made it up the stairs before "OTOU-SAN!!!" rang through the house.

Grandpa was standing next to the house gardens, weaving a tale about the vegetables when he heard his honorary daughter roar. Jumping slightly and cursing his granddaughter for being such a nosy child, he turned to the guests. "And if you'll follow me, to that building all the way on the other side…"

Kagome came back down and smiled at her mother. "Grandpa's scurrying to the storage shed. I think now would be a good time for us to leave."

Mrs. Higurashi nodded. As they headed through the shrine entrance gates, called Torii, she chuckled. "Does he _really_ listen in on my conversations?" At her daughter's affirmative nod, she tightened her eyes. "Let's see if he EVER gets salt in HIS food again." Looking down, she froze. "Who's parked in front of the shrine?"

Kagome jingled keys and started taking the stairs two at a time. "I am, and if you want to drive, you better run."

They both laughed breathlessly as Mrs. Higurashi grabbed for the keys at the bottom. "It's a convertible Kagome!"

"I know Mom, but I got here first!"

"It's a Miata convertible Kagome." She again lunged, touching the tip of the chain, causing the keys to jingle mockingly.

"Uh huh. And again…I got here first!"

"I'm twenty years older than you, and you cheated!"

"How did I cheat?"

"You started first."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll let you drive home."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "Okay, where are we going?"

**A/N:** I hope everyone had another wonderful week. Thank you for the reviews and thank you for reading. I'm amazed every week when I see how many people have pinged the latest chapter. Thanks to each of you for your time. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. -TK

For those of you who normally read this on SS, I haven't been able to get on the site but I will update when I can get back on. I'm guessing it's down right now.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

Kagome's favorite deli wasn't too busy by the time they arrived, so they took a table in the back. They could have eaten outside; but her mother said that if she was going to drive home with the top down, she really needed to eat inside. As the waiter left after taking their orders, Kagome leaned forward.

"So, tell me all about this man."

The blush was more telling than the hands wringing the life out of a napkin. "We met in the market. I was looking for maguro (tuna) and he was looking for…me." She giggled lightly. "Actually, he was looking for vegetables, but he took a wrong turn and ended up in the fish stalls."

"He's not Japanese." Kagome said it without rancor.

"No, he's French." At Kagome's raised eyebrow, she laughed. "Don't even think that."

Kagome put her chin on her hand. "What am I thinking?" She smiled, her entire face lighting up.

"You're thinking that Frenchmen are supposed to have sexy voices."

"And does he?"

Mrs. Higurashi giggled. "Yes, and I'm learning to speak it too."

"Mother!" Kagome laughed, drawing attention.

"Hush! Someone will hear." She waved her hand in her face and gently sipped from her water glass. "You're embarrassing your mother."

"Ah, but I think my mother can handle it. How long have you been seeing each other?"

"Four months."

"Is he good in bed?"

"Kagome!"

"Mom, you asked me. Besides, Souta wants to know if he needs to go teach him anything."

"Souta's recently married. He doesn't have enough experience to teach this man anything yet."

They both giggled, startling the waiter as he walked up to provide refills. He thought they were both gorgeous and he inadvertently spilled a little water on the table in his nervous state. Mrs. Higurashi wiped it up with a napkin, reassuring him that it was okay and agreeing to accept a clean napkin.

"So, does this mysterious French man have a name?"

"Yes my child, he does."

"And am I allowed to know it?"

Mrs. Higurashi put her finger up to her cheek and squinted at her daughter. "It depends. If you use his name to hunt him down and interrogate him, I will NOT tell you. However, if you're just nosy and want to know because you love your mother…"

"I won't interrogate him." _'__I'll send Sesshoumaru to interrogate, it'll be much more effective.'_

"And don't send that demon of yours either."

"Mother, why would you even think such a thing?" Kagome's blush gave her away.

"You're my child. I have the mother's 'all-seeing-eye' and I see and know all."

"Oh really. Tell me why I took you out to lunch."

Mrs. Higurashi sighed. "I can't. I swore an oath to keep my mouth quiet."

"To whom?"

"I cannot tell you that either."

"Fine. What CAN you tell me?"

"His name is Jean Pierre Renault. He's a chef for a little French restaurant in Minowa."

Kagome frowned. "That's clear across town."

"Yes, but it's on the Hibiya line. I just ride that and he meets me at the station. Or he comes to the shrine. Grandfather's met him. Of course, now that I know what I do, we'll switch to French. It sounds better in French anyways."

Kagome shook her head, and smiled at her mother. Their lunch arrived, along with a new napkin. The waiter left them to eat in peace. "Does he make you happy?"

Mrs. Higurashi's smile lit up the entire table. "Yes, he does. I miss your father, and no man can ever replace him. However, I'm willing to let this Frenchman take a new place. The place that doesn't speak Japanese fluently. Now, when are we going to get down to the business of why you're buying my lunch?"

Kagome smiled. "Who said I was buying?"

"You drove, you buy." She said it with perfect calm, hand gently wrapped around a sprout and turkey sandwich.

"Well, it appears I'm planning a wedding."

Mrs. Higurashi's eyebrows raised slightly, but she said nothing. After a few very pregnant moments of silence, she prompted. "Continue."

"Seth Shujin has asked me to marry him. I've accepted. However, we can't get married at the shrine."

"Why not?"

"I have nightmares of Grandfather throwing ofukas at him and Seth reaching across and killing him."

"Why would your grandfather throw ofukas at him?"

Kagome looked at her uneaten sandwich. Finally she looked back at her mother. "Can you see Grandfather blessing a union between his miko granddaughter and a full-blooded Youkai?"

"You didn't tell me he was FULL-blooded. I thought he was a harmless puppy."

"Does he look harmless in those pictures?"

"No, but he also looks human."

"Cloaking spell. Momma, you had your shrine wedding, just yesterday. Would you be heartbroken if your daughter had a civil ceremony?"

"Is that what he wants?"

"I'm not sure what the rituals are for full-blooded Youkai, but I suspect they don't involve a priest and san-san-kudo."

"You might be surprised, but I'd ask. Your mother doesn't mind a civil ceremony, as long as she's invited."

"When do Souta and Hitomi leave for their honeymoon?"

"Saturday. Why?"

"I'd like it to happen before they leave."

"Kagome, are you pregnant?" Her mother's heart froze in place at the thought.

She blushed ferociously. "No! It's just…complicated."

Mrs. Higurashi felt her heart start beating again. "Do you think you can plan a wedding in the next four days?"

Kagome grimaced. "I guess I'll have to." She took another bite of her sandwich before her mother could ask her any more damning questions.

After they finished their meal and Kagome had paid the check, Mrs. Higurashi looked at her daughter. "Kagome, some day when all of this is past and we've settled down to what our lives deem as normal, will you explain all of this to me?"

Kagome laughed. Standing up and putting her arm around her mother as she stood, she held out the car keys. "Sure, when I figure it out. Right now I'm as much in the dark as you are." The drive home was…fun. Mrs. Higurashi wasn't the adventurous sort. She put the top down, but she turned the music to a classical station and left it turned down low.

Kagome sighed. "Mom, in a car like this, you put it on J-pop and crank it!" She reached for the knob, but her mother smacked her hand.

"I'm driving, I choose the music. We're listening to classical, and I'll not have us scaring the neighbors by turning it up to eardrum bursting levels."

Kagome mock pouted. "Spoilsport."

"I can let you out right here, if you'd prefer to walk." She stopped the car and looked at her daughter pointedly.

"Um, actually Mom, you can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not the owner, and I have to be in the car in order for you to be legal."

"Oh, that's true. Okay, then sit still and behave."

The rest of the trip passed in pleasant commentary. When they returned to the shrine, they put the top up and walked back to the house. Ojii-chan was sitting in the kitchen, looking at a bowl of something that was in front of him.

"Grandpa, what do you have there?"

He looked hopefully at Kagome, but at her cross glance at mama, he sighed and stirred his spoon around in his bowl cautiously. "No soba eh? Hitomi made it."

Kagome leaned forward to sniff it. "Looks like leek and miso…but what a smell!"

He poured a little of the broth off the end of his spoon. Strangest leek I've ever seen."

Suddenly Mrs. Higurashi broke out in belly laughs. She was laughing so hard she had to pull a seat out and sit down. Both of her family members looked at her with concern. Finally she settled down. "Did Hitomi go to the store for the ingredients?"

"Actually, no. She said she'd make due with what was here. What in kami's heaven is this?" He looked truly concerned.

"Miso and pesuto. I'll taste it and let you know whether we eat it or fertilize the 'sacred vegetables' with it."

Grandpa looked embarrassed. "Heard that did you?"

"Yes. And Otou-san…"

"Yes dear."

She reached over and grabbed his ear. "I'm old enough to have a conversation with a boy without my father listening in. If you do it again…"

He looked at his soup sadly. "You'll have Hitomi cook all of my meals?"

She looked at Kagome with a thoughtful smile. "That sounds like the perfect punishment!"

He groaned.

**A/N:** Thank you again for all of the lovely reviews! Last week was tough, lots of house construction going on, and the reviews were my treat for: sanding doors, painting, hanging drywall and climbing up into the attic to update the wiring in the den (house was built in the 1940's, no such thing as ground wires back then). I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I look forward to updating next Monday. This week is drywall mudding, sanding and painting so I'll doubly be looking forward to your reviews.

As always, reviews are not required for updates and I will never be mad if I don't get reviews (my last IY fic has gotten more reviews since I started this one than it did during the 3 months I was weekly updating). I thoroughly enjoy your reviews and I don't take it personally if someone flames me or if no one reviews. I might explain my POV on a flame, but I'm not trying to attack.

Please each of you have a great week! If you are also working on a home, I commiserate. It's been 4 years next month of living in a construction zone. There are white cat (and human) prints all over my house and I gave up keeping the furniture dusted about 3 rooms ago (drywall dust isn't nearly as icky in my opinion as normal dust). I'll have a major spring cleaning when the last of the projects are done, then I'll wait 6 months for the rest of the stuff to settle and do it again. Be Safe! Til Monday -TK


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

Kagome left Sesshoumaru alone until dinner. Over a fowl and vegetables dish, she finally got around to the subject. "Sesshoumaru…kun, can we talk about this whole 'merger' idea?"

Sesshoumaru put his glass down and looked up, giving her his undivided attention. "Yes."

She played around with the food on her plate for a minute, it was obvious that she'd not eaten much. "What is the ritual of Youkai?"

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "That is not important for what we are doing."

"Oh." Kagome had at least expected an answer. "Is there anything you particularly want for the wedding?"

"I want a simple ceremony. That elaborate mess your brother had yesterday does not appeal to me."

"You don't want your wife to come down the aisle in pancake powder and ornamented wig?"

"I asked Higurashi Kagome to marry me. I did not ask a doll to marry me."

Touched by his statement, she blushed. "How about the shrine, does it have to be at the shrine?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "Kagome, we could get married on the street. The ceremony is not important to me. I want a piece of paper that states we are legally married. The rest is not important."

She thought he sounded like a man in love, but that wasn't possible. Nodding her head, she smiled. "Okay, simple and legal. I can handle that."

"Thank you Kagome. Now, if you are finished worrying about the wedding…"

"Yes?"

"Would you eat something?"

Surprised to find her plate rearranged; but mostly uneaten, she dug in.

After dinner, they both retreated to separate areas of the house. Kagome had fallen in love with the library and Sesshoumaru had work to do in the office. He found her after his bath to let her know it was her turn. She was curled up in a large leather chair, reading an old manuscript. As he approached, she looked up, startled. "What are you reading?"

Kagome blushed a little. "It was on the shelf."

"Yes, but what is it?"

"Your father's diary."

He reached forward and snatched it, surprised. Flipping through a couple of pages, he saw several weeks of entries. Tossing it lightly back to her, he turned. "I am finished with my bath." She acknowledged and watched him leave. At the door, he stopped. "Let me know if there is anything important in there."

"Your father loved you." She watched as his nails dug into the wood at the doorframe. "There's a passage in here, just after you're born. It says…" She flipped to a certain page and ran her fingers down the ancient Kangi. "Now, I get some of these wrong, it's very old language. But here it is. 'Today my son opened his eyes. I was…saddened to learn they were the gold of my clan and not the silver of my wife's, but when he looked upon me, I suddenly became a fierce warrior; capable of…dragging any demon to hell. I pray to the maker that he will grow strong and brave. But his…grip is strong and I know that my prayers will be granted. I am worried about my wife, she seems very sad by this birth. I do not understand because Sesshoumaru-kun is perfect in every way. She has birthed a god and should be proud. I have called a healer, I will wait to see what she says.'"

Sesshoumaru felt age lift off of his shoulders, but was not willing to acknowledge anything publicly. "I never questioned my father's love."

"But you question it every day. You questioned it in the feudal period, that's why you fought InuYasha for Tessaiga."

He turned and walked out of the room, nothing else being said. When he reached the bedroom, he walked over to the ancient armoire and opened it. Going into a false panel at the back, he dragged out an old sword. It wasn't Tenseiga, it was older than that.

Inutaisho had died protecting InuYasha. The mere human scum did not kill him, the wounds he suffered fighting Ryuukotsusei were mortal. Takemaru just helped quicken his death. After his father's passing, Sesshoumaru was not sure what happened to the blades he'd carried, although he eventually found Tessaiga and Sou'unga reappeared years later.

The sword he now held in his hand was the wakizachi sword that Inutaisho had carried before creating Tenseiga. If it had a name, he did not know it. Sitting down in the back corner of the bedroom, he started sharpening the blade with a stone. It had been decades since he had touched it, and it had aged as metals do when not cared for.

When Kagome came in from the bathhouse smelling warm and soapy, Sesshoumaru's head whipped up. She froze, seeing him working in the corner on a blade. "Are you going to use that on me for reading your father's diary?"

"I told you to tell me anything important. Does that sound like I would kill you?"

She walked over to kneel beside him, causing the edge of her yukata to fall open over one silky knee. "I did tell you a very intimate passage about your birth, that may have overstepped my bounds."

He glanced at the open space beside him, hoping she would catch the hint. As she sat down, he stifled a sigh, glad that she was no longer tempting him with bare flesh. "This was the companion sword my father carried before Tenseiga was forged."

"Does it have a name?"

"I am sure it does, but Tenseiga was forged shortly after I was born. I was never taught the name. It was abandoned to age when I found it."

"Where did you find it?"

"In this room."

"If I find any references to it, I'll let you know."

He was back to working on it, so she stood to leave him in peace. "I'm going to bed. If that noise bothers me, I'll let you know." He looked at her, arching a brow. She chuckled. "Doesn't mean you'll stop. I understand. Just that you'll know it's keeping me awake."

"I am almost through sharpening the blade. Oiling a sword is a silent task." He was scraping the stone along the tip of the sword now, working on the piercing edge.

As Kagome lifted the covers to climb in, she wondered about a man who kept a weapon solely because his father had once used it. She settled in her normal sleep position but rolled over to face his side of the bed when she realized he was working on her side of the bed.

Sesshoumaru oiled the blade well, letting it soak into the metal. Then he wrapped it back in the cloth he had found it in. Wondering if the sword deserved a sheath, he put it away. When he turned back to the bed, he groaned. His responsibility was once again in the middle of the bed. He really did not have the patience to deal with her tonight. Nor did he have the temperament to wake up to her accusing gaze if they happened to be in a clench. Deciding to retreat from this battle for the night, he turned and left the room.

Jaken was sweeping just outside the door when Sesshoumaru opened it. Looking at his retainer in confusion, he was surprised when a light blush caused Jaken's skin to turn slightly greener. "I was headed to the entertainment room with a bowl of popcorn." He looked at the floor.

"Continue."

"Well, I tripped over that rock right there." Jaken pointed at a small pebble.

Sesshoumaru picked it up and examined it. It looked like it had come out of the bathhouse. "One of our shoes must have picked it up."

"That's what I figured, no harm no foul. However, I wanted to clean up my mess."

"What were you going to watch?"

"The blind samurai."

Sesshoumaru had to hide a smile. Zatoichi was entertaining in its simple storyline with complicated relationship plots. "I will join you."

Jaken looked at the door, then back at his master. "Yes sir!" Hurriedly finishing his sweeping, he scooped the kernels up and was getting ready to dump them back into the bowl when he caught his master's disgusted look. "Oh, I guess you want to share?" When Sesshoumaru nodded, Jaken handed the bowl to him and carried the sweeps to the nearest garbage can. Wondering at the complexity of a man who did not hesitate to eviscerate an enemy with his bare claws; but was disgusted by the thought of popcorn off the floor, he followed behind his master to the TV room on the sixth floor.

**A/N:** Kanban wa. I hope everyone had a great week last. Thanks for continuing to hang in there with me. Again, thank you for all the wonderful reviews, I enjoyed them greatly. They were a wonderful treat at the end of each of seven long days. Please be safe this week and I hope this chapter was enjoyable for each of you. -TK


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36: 

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_---------_

On Tuesday, Sesshoumaru and Kagome went to the Meguro Ward Office to register their marriage. It was a modern, open-air style building that went against the face of tradition. Most ward offices were old and smelled of age and sweaty bodies. The original Youkai lord had chosen Meguro to live in because of its modern feel and the citizens' desires to keep the town clean and healthy. Several thousand years later, the citizens still subscribed to that philosophy.

The people inside varied from ecstatic to completely indifferent. Kagome watched couples holding hands and couples who sat two chairs apart. She wondered what the others thought of the two of them. It was obvious Sesshoumaru was a high-powered businessman, and although Kagome was dressed nicely, she still felt like the little village sacrifice to the feudal lord. When their names were called, Kagome squeaked in surprise. Sesshoumaru stood and reached for her hand to help her stand and she blushed furiously as she accepted his assistance.

Both took their koseki tohon (Family Register) to the Registrar as the first step to register their marriage. The Registrar was a ferocious looking woman and Kagome had an instant's thought that Kaede would have made a good Registrar. The woman was all business as she glanced at her paperwork and noted that Kagome's brother had registered two months earlier. Looking up, a hint of a smile, the Registrar asked, "When did your brother hold his ceremony?"

Blushing, Kagome smiled. "Sunday." The Registrar raised an eyebrow at the long wait period and Kagome stepped back in. "He likes to plan everything in advance. He's going into law, and wanted to make sure everything was absolutely legal before he took his wife on their honeymoon."

The Registrar nodded. "Why are you applying so quickly after their marriage?"

Sesshoumaru growled, getting frustrated with all of the questions, but Kagome gently laid a hand on his arm and continued to talk with the Registrar. "We didn't want to stand in the way of their happiness. His wife is the type that goes full-steam into wedding preparations and we didn't want to hamper her excitement. However, we've just discovered that they are leaving Sunday for an extended honeymoon, and we wanted to have our ceremony before they left."

"Ah, you're pregnant."

Kagome bristled. "I certainly am NOT! However, neither of us feels like waiting another month to get married. We've already waited almost a year. My brother announced his engagement the night before we were planning to announce ours and we've kept ours a secret for a year in order to honor my brother and his wife. He had the traditional Shinto wedding. Neither of us wants that and we'd like to go ahead and have a small civil ceremony before they leave. If you don't mind…" Kagome held her hand out for the small scroll and the Registrar looked askance as she handed it back.

"Pardon my rudeness."

Kagome bowed. "If you'll pardon mine."

They both smiled and the Registrar held her hand out for Sesshoumaru's. Kagome nudged him. Seth, your Koseki Tohon, please." He was still staring at the girl beside him who had made up an elaborate lie on the spot to keep either of them from being dishonored.

He blinked and handed his scroll to the woman. They had spent hours putting a cloaking spell on the document. It registered his family back five generations. Although that was not unseemly for a document, five Inu generations encompassed most of Japan's history. The spell changed the names to the Shujin name and the dates to human ranges. The cloaking spell held and the Registrar pointed at a name. "This is your grandfather?"

"Yes. Ryoji Shujin. He died during the Sino-Japan war."

"He was an Admiral."

"On the Soryu. He died at Midway."

"My father also died on the Soryu. He once mentioned your grandfather in a letter home, said he was a good man." She looked at Kagome. "You take good care of this man, he comes from an honorable family." Handing them the kon-in-todoke (Registration of Marriage Form), she told them to fill it out and get back in line when they were done.

Leaving the little window, Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru. However, before she could ask her question, he answered it.

"I knew Ryoji Shujin. He was young when we met. His parents died during his childhood and his wife died in childbirth, leaving him the lone carrier of his family name. When he died, I took his family name to preserve it. He was a good and faithful friend."

Kagome was shocked that he'd shared that much detail of his life. At his look, she smiled. "I'm glad you chose a good name. This place is creepy, can we hurry up and get out of here?"

Sitting down and filling out the kon-in-todoke did not take long. However, waiting in line to turn it in for the kon-in-todoke-juri-shomeisho (Receipt of Registration of Marriage) was lengthy. The Registrar glanced over the kon-in-todoke to ensure everything was filled out properly. Then she stamped it and completed the kon-in-todoke-juri-shomeisho. Handing it to Sesshoumaru, she wished them both a long and successful marriage before sending them on their way. The entire experience took two hours and Sesshoumaru was ready to rip heads off by the end of it.

Kagome wanted to pat his arm in consolation, but was afraid to touch him. He'd been pretty snarly all day and she was afraid of making it worse.

As they walked out of the office, he suddenly took her hand and looked at her. "Hello Wife." Under all Japanese law, they were now officially married. "When is the civil ceremony again?" He knew, he just wanted to hear that this trial of his patience would be over soon.

"Thursday during lunch. Oh my gosh! I just remembered." She ran to the car and waited impatiently as he slowly walked to the vehicle.

Sesshoumaru was wondering at the emotionless state of Japanese marriages. He had never been married before, and had not truly understood that the legal requirements provided no space for love and romance. He thought the entire procedure was even more heartless than he had been during the feudal era. His wife's antics at the car brought an invisible smile to his soul. They were now married in the eyes of the law. However, they still had to perform the civil ceremony to become married in the eyes of her family. He was also still trying to decide if he would perform the demon rituals. He finally made his mind up to take it one day at a time. If his employees would not accept her as his mate, he would have no choice but to complete the mating rituals.

"Seth, for someone who moves as fast as you, you sure are slow today. Hurry up and unlock the car!" They had decided to leave Michael at home for this business and Kagome was STILL waiting on him to unlock the car.

"Is my wife hungry?"

Kagome suddenly realized her stomach was growling. "Yes, but first we have to go see Lucy. I forgot to invite her to the ceremony Thursday."

"What is involved with this ceremony?"

"Mom got a friend of Grandfather to agree to say a couple of words about our marriage."

"I am being married by a Shinto priest?" He highly doubted this was arranged with the priest's full knowledge of the situation.

"No, we are being married by a judge in a little chapel."

"Does it not take months to arrange a chapel?"

"Normally, but you're not the only one who has connections in this family."

He opened the door and ushered her in, thinking that 'family' had both good and bad connotations for him. When he got in on his side, he turned to look at her. "Where are we going?"

"A little coffee shop down the road from where I work."

Sesshoumaru put his hands on the wheel and turned to look at her. "About your job…"

"Are you going to say something to make me mad?" She crossed her hands over her chest and looked out the window.

"Probably."

Taken back by his honesty, she turned in the seat to look at him. "I'm listening."

"I talked with your boss yesterday. He said you could work from home if you reported in daily." Her eyes widened and he was half afraid she would hug him. He was not ready to think about how the other half felt.

"Really? That's awesome! So I can work from your house and it won't cause problems for you?"

"Yes." That single word did not properly answer both questions; but when she looked at him, he cranked the car and headed towards town.

**A/N**: "I hate mudding, yes I do! I hate mudding, how about you?" Maybe if I did it for a living, but I'm a desk jockey dammit. Everything hurts! That aside, I hope each of you had a great week! Well, you wanted them married, and my story just happened to take them there. Kinda impersonal, the Japanese way of getting married eh? Perfect for a certain sexy male protagonist. Don't worry, the story's not over yet.

I've gotta tell you that I received some fabulous reviews this week, which surprised me because I felt last week's chapter was a builder and not anything worth getting worked up about. I apparently was wrong. I'm hoping the lack of flames is because it IS a well written, characterized etc… story and not because I've scared you. I promise I don't bite and if I need to correct something, I won't know if you don't tell me. For those of you who have been reviewing, faithful as well as once-off, THANK YOU! You really made my week last week.

Thanks again everyone for reading and please have a safe and fun week this week. -TK


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Chapter 37:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

As Sesshoumaru drove through town, Kagome filled him in on her friendship. Although he did not appear interested, he never told her to be quiet. Kagome took that to mean he was at least curious enough to listen. She gave him directions to the store and then watched as he expertly found a place to park. It was almost as if he mentally demanded someone to leave. If she'd ever sensed the first bit of mental powers, she might have glared; but she realized he was one of those lucky people who always seemed to show up at the right time. Hopping out of the car and waiting on the curb for him to _finally_ get out of the car, she tapped a foot. When he stepped onto the curb, she walked over to him and grabbed his hand, pulling him down the street.

Sesshoumaru knew she was excited to tell her friend. Just because he was in a foul mood, he deliberately drug his heels. They made a strange couple. The young looking woman pulling a tall stately man by the hand. She would have given off the appearance of a pet owner walking a recalcitrant dog, but his arm was not pulled out straight like hers. It was obvious to anyone actually paying attention that he was the one holding the pace. No matter how much she tugged on his arm, he continued to walk at his own pace.

Halfway to the store, she stopped and looked at him. "You're doing this on purpose!" He didn't respond. "If you don't speed up just a little bit, I swear I will embarrass you when we get in there."

"Remember that any embarrassment you dish out will be served back to you with interest." He sped up two clicks, just because he did not _really_ want to ruin her day.

They arrived a few minutes before the lunch crowd would start, and Kagome smiled as she pushed on the door. She smiled as Lucy automatically responded to the chime of the bell.

"Irrasshaimase." Lucy's smile grew as she recognized her friend. Running around the counter, she hugged her friend. "Kagome! I've been so worried about you. Your brother came by and told me that your apartment burned down and you were staying with the hunk agai…" She blushed as she recognized the person attached to Kagome's hand. "Hello."

Sesshoumaru nodded, humored by this foreigner's manners.

Kagome let go of his hand. Now that he was in the shop, she knew he was not likely to leave. Lucy pulled her into a quiet corner and started bombarding her with questions. "Wow! He's sexy. And he was holding your hand, what does that mean?"

Kagome looked over to see Sesshoumaru pulling the lid off of a tea container and sniffing, putting the lid back on before heading to the next one. Turning back to her friend, she smiled. "Seth Shujin. He's my fiancée."

"What?!" Lucy jumped up and down, distracting Sesshoumaru from his sniffing long enough to look up and notice the redhead's animated squawk. He went back to the tea with only a faint rise to one eyebrow.

"The ceremony is Thursday at lunchtime. It's at the Joushin-ji shrine. We're not having a traditional ceremony, but one of Grandpa's Buddhist priest friends has agreed to say words over our marriage."

"Isn't that the shrine for a better future?"

"Yes. It's close to Seth's house. He lives near Seto." Kagome decided her friend didn't need to know she'd picked that shrine because they'd had such a rocky past.

"Oh wow! Okay, uh…what's the dress?"

Kagome laughed again. "Nice, but not formal."

"Can I bring Logan?"

"Of course. Where is he?" Kagome had noticed he wasn't around.

Lucy put her hands on her waist and glared at Kagome. "We're not attached at the hip you know." She leaned forward. "At least not during daylight hours." She laughed at Kagome's outraged look. "He said he'd try to stop by at lunch, they're right in the middle of a really hectic work schedule. So, what's your dress look like?"

Kagome suddenly paled. "I don't have one yet. I've been so worried about everything else, I forgot!"

Sesshoumaru looked up from another jar of tea. "What is wrong?"

'_How does he know these things?'_ "I just realized I didn't have a dress for Thursday."

"Go get one. I need to go into the office today after I take my new wife to lunch. How about if I drop you back off here after lunch, and the two of you can go shopping?"

Lucy thought maybe she'd heard 'wife' instead of 'fiancée' but decided it was just an error in her translations.

Kagome skipped over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. It startled him to the point that he set the tea tin back on the counter without the lid. "Okay. Where are we going for lunch?"

"You will find out." He looked up at her friend. "Is this acceptable to you?"

Lucy smiled. "I had the afternoon off. I'd planned on doing laundry, but shopping sounds better."

"I will have her back by 2pm." Walking to the door and holding it open for his wife, Sesshoumaru waited. Suddenly he turned back to Lucy. "I want those two tins sitting on top of that cabinet."

"Consider them wedding presents."

He nodded and walked out, leaving Lucy to think about how Kagome would ever manage such a wild one.

Sesshoumaru pulled up in front of a small restaurant distinguished only by its lack of ornamentation. Ushering Kagome inside, he closed the door behind them. Going through a curtain, he walked into a room of empty tables.

Kagome tightened her grip on his arm. "I don't think it's open."

"Door was unlocked."

"But…" She glanced around at the completely empty restaurant. Water glasses sat clean and empty on black tablecloths. Each place setting had a wine-colored napkin folded in the design of a peacock sitting in the middle of a scalloped china bread plate. It felt like the scene in that old black and white TV show when the characters learn they have slipped into that space between time.

A tall man with short silver hair suddenly appeared in front of Sesshoumaru. "Welcome. Please pick a table." Sesshoumaru walked over to one in the middle of the room. The tall man was again there, putting the napkins in their laps and pouring water from a pitcher she had never noticed. "The chef will be out in a few minutes to explain the menu."

Sesshoumaru looked over at Kagome, watching the curiosity play across her expressive face. Today she looked younger than she had when he met her. Hoping this marriage was to be a benefit instead of a dreaded agreement, he picked up his glass. "To us."

Kagome picked up her glass and smiled at him, that free unfettered look unlocking some deeply hidden door inside him. "To us."

They had just finished their toast when a shriveled old man hobbled out to meet them. He reached a gnarled hand out to shake Sesshoumaru's. "Hello Sesshoumaru-sama. What an honor to have you in my establishment." He released his hand and turned to look at Kagome. "And what a lovely woman. Miko are you not?" Kagome nodded and smiled, lighting his soul with her innocent happiness. "Ah, not yet varnished by the weight of life." Pulling up a chair, he sat at their table. "We thought we'd start with a small fruit salad. Apples imported from a small town in Georgia called Ellijay. They have a delectable variety called a Braeburn. Crunchy and sweet, the red skin will go well with the green of the celery and the brown of the walnut."

"Then you'll be served a light butternut squash soup. It has a hint of spice, but I'll leave it to you to figure that out." His chuckle sounded well used, and ancient. Like he'd laughed often, for thousands of years."

"The main dish is a freshly caught Alaskan salmon, pan-seared with garlic and pepper. Then a light cream sauce is poured on top. It's my favorite dish." He suddenly looked at Kagome. "You do like salmon?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Fine. Desert is a dish called 'crème brulee.' It is a sweet cream pudding with a splash of caramel liquor on top." He frowned lightly. "It was either that, or Baked Alaskan; but I couldn't have two items from the same state." Clapping his hands, he stood. "Well, back to the kitchen with me. Enjoy your meal."

When he left, Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru. "Is the entire restaurant ours?"

"Yes."

Kagome wasn't sure what to think. Suddenly she had a thousand questions. "Um, if it had taken too long…"

"The restaurant is ours until I say otherwise."

"That's a little intimidating."

"You will get used to it."

"You reserve restaurants like this all the time?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "No. This is to celebrate our wedding."

"Oh. But the wedding isn't until Thursday."

"No, the wedding was today." A waiter bringing their salads interrupted her next question. He presented them with flair and Kagome couldn't help but eat.

"Wow! This is good."

"The soup is better." Startled by the voice in her ear, she turned and almost hit the guy standing beside her. He was the tall man from earlier. Moving gracefully out of her way, he set the bowl down beside her almost empty salad plate. "Are you finished?"

Sesshoumaru was done with his, but he also ate faster. "No. She eats slower than I do. Judge the next course by her plate, not mine."

The waiter bowed and left, Kagome looking at Sesshoumaru with stars in her eyes. "You know, you're really not that bad of a guy."

"Tell that to my enemies." He slurped his soup discretely, giving it just the right attention to be polished and sophisticated. Kagome wasn't as professional. "Wife, quit worrying about your manners and eat. Enjoy your food. I care not whether you have the manners to eat with the Emperor or not. I want you to enjoy this meal." He waved his hands around. "Who is here to see you? Who is here to compare?"

Kagome was staring at him, her spoon halfway to her mouth, a blush stealing into her cheeks.

"What?"

"I just realized you're my husband."

Sesshoumaru was really afraid if he laughed at his wife, the shock would kill her. However, he took her hand and kissed it, thinking about how the older Miroku behaved towards his wife. Letting go, he picked his spoon back up. "Correct, we are now officially husband and wife."

"But it's just a marriage of convenience…"

"Yes. Until you change your mind."

"And if I never change my mind?"

He shrugged. "We will both have to find a way to vent our frustrations, without taking jabs at each other. I will not live in a violent household." He looked at her. "But let us not ruin lunch with this conversation. We have time enough."

"If something happens to me, can you get remarried?"

He frowned this time. "What a stupid question. Of course, why?"

She moved her bowl to the side. "I just read somewhere…"

"Not my father's diary I hope."

"No, just some folklore. Sorry I asked."

"Youkai vow to protect until death parts. After that, they are free to seek other mates. It is basically the same as your vows."

"Can Youkai cheat?"

"Very curious today?"

Kagome looked frustrated, but held her tongue as the waiter came back out and replaced their soup with the main dish. "I don't understand. I've married into a Youkai family and I don't know the rules."

"Again, the Youkai rules do not apply at this point in time. If that changes, I will let you know." He went back to his food, making it clear this conversation was over.

The crème brulee was delicious and Kagome wanted to ask for seconds. The chef came back out after the food was done and wished them both well.

As they left the restaurant, Sesshoumaru turned to his old friend and nodded. His friend nodded back, acceptance clear in every motion. Satisfied that one hurdle was overcome, he drove her back to her friend's business and left Kagome in the enthusiastic hands of her Lucy.

**A/N:** I hope everyone had a great week and that everyone enjoyed this chapter. Thank you most kindly for reading my story. The reviews last week were wonderful, they got me through an emotionally draining week. Like mudding wasn't enough, this year appears to be the year of the funeral. I'm at 3 now, not a trend I want to continue. I hope each of you is having a better year than that. Until next week… -TK


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

Thursday morning was cool, with a smattering of fog. They had moved to Sesshoumaru's mansion on Wednesday and Kagome was glad she'd purchased everything she needed on Tuesday because Wednesday was packed full. Pushing back the covers, she groaned as tired feet touched a cold floor. Turning to look at her husband, still sleeping WAY over on the other side of the bed, she had a sudden desire to hit him. "Can't you at least get heated floors?"

Sesshoumaru was not asleep. He had not been asleep since she rolled over and rubbed up against him around 5am. However, she did not need to know that. Pretending to be unconscious, he listened as she complained about the cold floors and the cold robes, and how could he think she'd be ready for a lunchtime wedding when she'd been worked like a dog the day before. Smiling at her use of 'dog,' he rolled over and pretended to wake. Pushing the covers back, he put his feet on the floor and discovered it _was_ cold. Standing up and stretching, he walked over to a small thermostat on the wall and flicked 'heat.'

She watched curiously. "What are you doing?"

"The floor is cold. I am turning on the thermostat for the heating system to start working."

"What heating system?"

"The water heating system that keeps the floors warm in the winter. I do not like cold floors."

Kagome thought that if she was so inclined, she might fall in love with him immediately. However, since he thought of it as a result of his own cold feet, and not in response to her complaints; which he probably didn't hear since he was sleeping, she decided NOT to fall in love today. "Is it supposed to be this cold all day?"

"I doubt it. Did you buy a thin dress that will leave you frozen?"

She glared at him. "No. I bought a nice dress. Now, get out of here so I can get dressed. It's bad luck to see me today."

"We are already married Kagome. Since we had to see each other in order to fill out the marriage certificates, I believe that superstition is null and void here in Japan."

"I don't want you in here while I get dressed."

Sesshoumaru grabbed his clothing and stalked out. "Fine. I will be in the garden kicking Moufiri when you are done."

Kagome sat on the bed and put her hands over her face. She didn't know why she was so upset. Deciding to call her mother after she got dressed, she stood and quickly donned a traveling outfit. Her dress would have to wait until she arrived at the Buddhist temple. Her mother didn't answer the phone when she called and Kagome realized that her mother was already on her way to the temple. Heading downstairs, deciding to be nice to the man who was inadvertently causing her nerves, she ran into a very clean and pressed Jaken. "Good morning Jaken."

He bowed low. "Good morning Lady Kagome."

"Are you coming with us?"

He frowned at her. "Of course. I am Lord Sesshoumaru's retainer. It is my duty to stand in for his father."

"Ah, I understand."

He looked around. "Where is Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"In the garden."

"Oh my! He'll get his clothes filthy!" He ran off looking for his master.

Kagome wandered into the eating area and decided all food would have to wait until after the ceremony.

Thirty minutes later, three very grumpy individuals got into the car. Michael was in a great mood but thought it might be wise to keep his mouth shut when Sesshoumaru growled at him and threatened to remove his tongue if he so much as hissed happily.

Jaken was in a foul mood because Sesshoumaru had kicked him instead of Moufiri when he asked a banal question that Sesshoumaru felt he should already know the answer to. Sesshoumaru was in a foul mood because Kagome was deliberately rubbing him the wrong way today, and Kagome woke up in a foul mood for reasons she was not willing to investigate.

Arriving at Joushin-ji, Kagome sighed in pleasure. It was a modest wooden temple, with lanterns hanging from the roofline. None of the wood was painted and it all had a very countrified appearance, like it had weathered a thousand years worth of life. They were actually getting married outside of the temple itself, on the beautifully landscaped grounds. The lawyer also happened to be a Buddhist priest and was a nice man who reminded her of any Buddhist priest she had seen during the feudal era. She only hoped this one treated Sesshoumaru with more respect than she'd seen them treat InuYasha. Although Buddhist priests usually only officiated at funerals, weddings not holding as much import as the passing into the next life, Hanjoji-sama had agreed to perform a small blessing to honor his friend's granddaughter and new husband.

Sesshoumaru was touched that his wife would take his religious preference into account. Although he was not a staunch believer of Buddhism, it was closest to the religion that his family had worshipped. There was no official title of his religion, just a desire to find the truth of life, and a balance within his world. Whereas Shinto beliefs had many gods, Buddhism believed in one main god and the search for inner understanding of the god through meditation and prayer.

The only time he had really questioned his faith was when the Buddhist monk tried to take Rin from him by calling him a spawn of Akuma, or Satan. He had questioned his beliefs in secret for months. Finally wisdom from his adopted child set him to ease. While they were sitting in the shade, a slightly older Rin leaned against him, and picked a little flower to hand to him. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I've been thinking about that monk. I think he was afraid of you because of your power. I don't think you're Akuma's child, I think some grownups are unable to accept those that are different." She snuggled up closer. "I don't want to grow up like that. Please always be my fluffy-sama."

Blinking at the sight in front of him, he thought that this man might be different. He was a very calm individual. He did not just project an air of calm, he _was_ calm. However, Kagome was turning paler by the moment. Her two friends had shown up and the Lucy woman was bouncing around her. Mrs. Higurashi was walking up the stairs with Souta and his new wife and Grandpa was…Sesshoumaru sighed. Glaring daggers and holding up ofukas with ancient Kanji inscriptions to…Sesshoumaru squinted. 'banish evil smells with lemons.' Snorting softly, he walked up to his wife, hoping to get this over with quickly before her grandfather realized he was not banishing evil spells and demons.

The priest called all together and wished for them to have happy lives, respecting the differences they bring to the marriage. He called upon God and Buddha to bless their union and strengthen them with patience. Then he called upon the spirit of the shrine to help them have better futures than their pasts. At the end, they presented small tokens to honor the spirit of the shrine and the Buddha. Then everyone departed.

Once they were outside of the shrine grounds, Sesshoumaru invited everyone back to his home for a small luncheon. Lucy and Logan couldn't attend, having to be back at work by 2pm. Although Logan had asked off to go to a wedding, he hadn't told anyone whose wedding he was attending.

The Higurashi family was able to join and Jaken was kicked to the front seat to make room for the others. The women all sat on one seat, Mrs. Higurashi in the middle. The three men sat on the other, Souta and Sesshoumaru hugging as close to the walls as possible. Souta glared at the tall man, not liking the idea of his sister getting married to a man he hardly knew. However, Sesshoumaru did not even flinch, so he gave up after a few minutes. Looking over at his wife, Souta noticed Hitomi was looking at Sesshoumaru like he was the top underwear model for Klein, and he turned to glare again; this time ferociously. Sesshoumaru finally raised an eyebrow and stared back. They were leaning closer and closer in their visible staring match, squeezing Grandpa in the process.

Kagome watched the battle between the two with growing emotion. She wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or yell, but something was going to happen. Suddenly Mrs. Higurashi reached across the seat and pulled both of their ears.

"Boys, behave! Souta, Seth isn't interested in your wife. He has his own sitting beside me. Seth, quit glaring at my son, you're scaring me."

Blushing, Souta scooted back and stuck his tongue out at the man sitting on the other side of Grandpa. Sesshoumaru just crossed his arms over his chest and wondered what the dignified reaction was for a Youkai lord who had just had his ear tweaked by his human mother-in-law.

**A/N:** Thank you again for the marvelous reviews, and for all the people reading who don't review (I do that too so don't feel guilty, I understand). I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope each of you have a really good week this week. I have all of one room mudded and ready for paint, I'm ecstatic (and exhausted). Thank you for those who wished sympathy as well. It means a lot that you care. And as always, if I need to fix something, please let me know. -TK


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Chapter 39:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

Lunch was an interesting affair. Sesshoumaru's staff had prepared a delectable meal for fifty, not believing him when he said it was to be a small ceremony and a smaller reception. Watching the faces of his new in-laws as they took in three tables of food, he almost smiled. However, his wife's confused glare kept it firmly in check. Walking over, she nudged him. "Are you expecting anyone else?"

"I believe the staff misinterpreted my directives." He walked over to the first table and grabbed a plate. "Ma'am, what would you like? Please let it be my honor to serve you."

Kagome thought he was pouring it on a little thick, but acquiesced to play her part for the next little while. Pointing out items, she let him pick the most desirable of the pieces to place on her plate. When they were finished, she then let him walk her to the table and hold the seat for her while she sat.

Hitomi sighed dreamily and looked at Souta, which caused him to turn and glare at the tall man in disgust. Finally he walked over to the tables and grabbed a plate for his wife and imitated his brother-in-law. He couldn't understand how the man who Kagome had once described as tall, handsome and frozen as ice could now appear so caring. The man was currently filling a second plate for his new mother-in-law, and Souta didn't look forward to hearing about how inconsiderate of a son he had become. However, when he sat back down, Mrs. Higurashi leaned over, patted his hand, and told him he was a good son who learned quickly. Winking as she said it, she turned back to her conversation with Hitomi and nothing else was said.

As Sesshoumaru looked across the table at his new family, he wondered about the consistency of the human life. There were three generations sitting at his table, all taking up less years than he had been a child. Wondering at the folly of marrying a woman who would only live another sixty years, he frowned.

Kagome, so nervous this morning that she couldn't be civil to a saint, had finally started to calm down. Turning, she recognized unhappiness on her husband's face and reached a hand over. "What's wrong?"

He grabbed her hand and held it up, turning it over to trace the lines in her palm. "Nothing, just wedding reflections."

She knew he was lying, but didn't push it. "What do they tell you?" She was working hard to ignore the shivery sensations his nail's movement on her hand was sending down her spine.

He tapped her palm, starting at the top. "It says here that you were born into a family that loves you." He stopped at the first line. "Early in your life, something happened that changed the direction of your path."

She nodded. "My father's death."

"Hn." He had never asked why there was no Mr. Higurashi, it was not his business.

That sensual finger continued down her tiny hand, the nail razor sharp, but carefully tracing to avoid damage. "Your life was pretty straightforward until here." A thick line crossed. "A large change, and…" he suddenly grew silent.

"What?" Kagome looked up with big eyes.

"These lines here…" he pointed at crossed lines, jagging in several directions. "These indicate a time of great upheaval and battle. A perilous journey." He did not go into more detail, knowing there was one person at the table that did not know her story.

"Ah. High School."

He touched her hand again, running his fingers gently down it. "There was also sudden loss and a new journey."

"College"

"One more line showing your life since college?" At her nod, he glanced down again. Suddenly he poked gently at the very heel of her hand. "And a small line starting here, showing another transition. So many changes for such a short life." Bringing her hand up to his mouth, he kissed it and suppressed a chuckle as she pulled away blushing.

She turned back to her plate and realized there were four sets of eyes staring at them. "What? Have you never seen a man woo his wife?"

Mrs. Higurashi smiled, memories dancing behind her eyes. Grandpa just grumbled something about taking it to the bedroom, while Souta glared even harder at his brother-in-law. It was Hitomi who inadvertently diffused the situation while creating a larger one.

"Mr. Shujin, why aren't your parents here? Did they not agree with your marriage?"

Sesshoumaru wondered if all women were so outspoken, or if it was just the ones with whom he happened to become entangled.

Souta turned and glared at his wife this time, suddenly appalled that his wife would have brought up such an indelicate subject. Before he could correct Hitomi for being so forward, Kagome stepped in and solved the problem.

Resting her hand on his arm, she smiled gently. "Seth's parents were killed when he was very young. They had gone on a journey and were killed during a battle that was going on at the place they were at."

"Oh, I'm so sorry Mr. Shujin. It was improper of me to have asked that question. Please forgive me."

Sesshoumaru looked at her and nodded. "Nothing to forgive. They were good parents. I have had many years to get used to their absence. But if they had been alive, they would have loved Kagome." He turned and looked at his wife, causing her to blush fiercely.

Hitomi leaned her head to rest on Souta's shoulder, and he casually put an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. She smiled at her sister-in-law, glad that Kagome had finally found a man to love her too.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled at both of her children, secure in her beliefs that even if things weren't always rosy, at least they had spouses that would stay with them.

The rest of the meal passed in pleasant conversation.

ssssssss

After the meal, Sesshoumaru quietly asked Kagome if she thought her family would take some of the food home. Looking over at the tables that six people had barely touched, she laughed. Turning towards the rest of her family, she clapped her hands to gain their attention. Waving grandly at the tables, she spoke. "Although I'm sure my husband would not appreciate me saying this, there was a small amount of confusion about the size of the reception and the staff prepared a meal for sixty, not six. Please, take home whatever you can. If you want to hold parties next week and would like the food, use it. The two of us cannot possibly eat all of this."

Everyone laughed and Hitomi and Mrs. Higurashi both agreed to take large portions home and throw lavish parties to get rid of the food. A couple of the more normal looking staff members came out and helped prepare travel containers. They were a little contrite around their lord, realizing he meant what he had said earlier; but they knew he would handle their irresponsibility later when the guests were no longer in the residence.

When the family opened the door, they found Michael standing in front of the passenger's door, ready to chauffer the Higurashi's back to their Shrine. Hitomi and Souta gave Kagome a quick hug and Sesshoumaru silently accepted Hitomi's hug, ignoring Kagome's raised eyebrow. Grandfather told him to treat his granddaughter with respect or he'd put a curse on him, then smacked his lips against Kagome's cheek before starting down the short flight of stairs.

Mrs. Higurashi gently reached up and grabbed Sesshoumaru's face, kissing both of his cheeks. "Welcome to my family." It was a very non-Japanese thing to do and Sesshoumaru only stared back in response, touched by what she said if not startled by how she'd said it.

Kagome suddenly realized that there was a person missing. "Mom, why didn't you bring your boyfriend? I told you he was invited."

Mrs. Higurashi blushed. "Well, he wanted to come; but his daughter went into labor and he had to fly home yesterday."

"Oh! Well, let me know what his daughter has." Kagome hugged her mother.

"I will." She pulled back and looked at her daughter, knowing this marriage was not a love match and looking for sadness in her eyes. When she saw none, she patted her daughter's cheek and smiled. "I'll see you in a couple of weeks."

"Okay Mom. I love you."

"I love you too." She turned and walked down the stairs.

Kagome watched until the limo was out of sight, then she turned and walked back into the house. Sesshoumaru closed the door and headed out of the room.

"Um, Sesshoumaru…"

"Yes." He turned to look at her.

She bowed grandly. "Thank you for being so wonderful to my family today."

He nodded in response. "Always." Turning, he walked to the shoji. "I am going to do some work, this wedding has put me behind schedule."

Kagome smiled sadly and decided to bury herself in the library. "I understand. I'll be in the library."

"Goodnight Kagome." He was gone before she had a chance to respond.

**A/N:** Aw, come on. You didn't REALLY expect they'd suddenly turn into passionate sex bunnies did you? Would that really be in Sesshoumaru's character? (although it would have been fun to read) I would like to thank each of you for your reviews last week, each and every one of them was wonderful, even the ones asking for me to update more frequently (sorry everyone, one per week is all I can manage on a regular basis and sometimes I cut that one pretty close).

As always, THANK YOU so much for reading this chapter! -TK


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40 Chapter 40

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Sesshoumaru hated weaknesses and as he sat at his desk, he admitted that he now had two. As he pulled off the thin wire-rim glasses perched on his nose, he glared at them. Astigmatism, caused by hundreds of years of reading was his first weakness. Although he understood the current culture had no hang-ups about vision issues, he hated spectacles. He thought they made him look old. His second weakness had just crawled into bed. He heard the covers shift as she slid between them.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, he wondered how long he would actually be able to resist her. Warm flesh cozied up to him every morning was not too hard to resist until they had gone and made their relationship official. Now she was his in every way except one, and he knew she was not ready for that change. Staying in his office until he heard her breathing line out in sleep, he stood and squared his shoulders deciding that if he could face a thousand demons and still defeat Naraku, he could handle an entire night lying beside his new wife.

The next morning Kagome woke up to the sight of her new husband packing. "Where going?" She was struggling to fight her way out of sleep and everything slurred together.

Sesshoumaru did not look up. He knew what he would see, a young woman with sleep-tangled hair and a silky nightgown that had fallen over one pale cream shoulder. Two days without sleep was making him cranky and he decided to leave before he did something he would regret. "Texas. They had a crisis yesterday and I need to get there today." He looked up just as she sat up, causing the blankets to pool around her hips, her nipples barely visible through the thin cloth. Muttering curses under his breath, he renewed his vigorous task.

"How long?" Kagome rubbed her sleepy eyes and tried to figure out why he was being so evasive this morning.

"At least a week." Closing the lid, he locked the snaps and stood. Walking over to the bed, he gave her a quick kiss and turned. "I will call you, okay?"

"I understand."

"Thank you Kagome. I will see you soon."

After he left the room, Kagome got out of bed and yanked the sheets off. She didn't know how long he'd owned them, but she felt like destroying something and sheets were not expensive.

When the maid that cleans the room walked in two hours later, Kagome was braiding silk strips. She looked up. "Oh hello. I felt like making a rug."

The maid wondered why her lordship had married a crazy human, but she just smiled and remade the bed.

ssssssss

Sesshoumaru sat on the plane, his thoughts running as wild as the engines at the back of the fuselage. Michael had agreed to keep an eye on Kagome, try to focus her very unproductive energy in a direction that would prevent any damage to their reputations. Otherwise, Sesshoumaru had told him to allow her free rein. He also had less than one day to figure out what excuse he was going to give the Texas branch for his sudden appearance. For the first time ever, he felt like running away from his responsibilities, transforming into his true form and running wild in the wilderness.

However, he knew Kagome's suspicious nature and he had lived too many years to suddenly give his very impetuous wife a reason to purify his being. He wondered what she would have been like if Inuyasha had not given her reason after reason to distrust a man's fidelity. Hearing the sound of cloth ripping, he suddenly realized the claws of his right hand were strangling his pillow and he consciously relaxed them. If he was a less honorable youkai, he would go after his half-breed brother; but he would die before he went back on his word.

Deciding he had enough of this vein of thought, he called the steward over, ordered a flight bottle of sake and proceeded to anesthetize his soul. Letting it work, he decided to use the first class accommodations to his advantage. Since Kagome was not beside him to distract him, he turned the light off, propped the slightly damaged pillow behind his neck, and caught up on much needed sleep.

ssssssss

Johnathan Meyers was more than surprised to see his first guest on Tuesday morning. Somehow he'd gotten the impression that Seth Shujin was going to leave him to his own resources unless there was a need for his intervention. He was just beginning to peruse his career options when the tall man in front of him suddenly bowed.

"Please forgive my sudden appearance. I gave you my word that I would not micromanage, and I stand behind that." Seth stood and tucked a hand in one pocket. "I suddenly found myself schedule-less and decided to visit and see if there were any barriers that I could remove from the Texas Division's path."

Johnathan took a moment to carefully observe his manager. Seeing the slightly rumpled jacket and the barely perceptible slump in the shoulders, he made a couple of astute assumptions. Seth looked the same way he himself had looked seven years ago when trying to come to terms with his decision to marry his wife. He'd bet all the money in his retirement fund that Seth was running away from that beautiful woman at the dinner a while back. Coughing slightly, he turned towards his office. "Mr. Shujin, if you would please follow me, I believe you could be of great assistance. I don't know how long you were planning to stay, but I'll take all the time you have to offer." As they passed the old purple-haired lady at the front desk, Jonathan stopped. "Clarice, if anyone from Japan calls, please tell them that Mr. Shujin is in the middle of a conference and will return his calls at the next break."

Clarice smacked the gum in her mouth and blew on a wet fingernail before winking at her boss. "Sure thing hon. How about your calendar?"

"Let me look at it and see what we can reschedule."

Seth interrupted. "Do not bother on my account."

Johnathan looked up and smiled at him. "Fine. Clarice, today holds sunny and fair. Keep all the traffic running steady."

"Okay boss." She winked at her boss's boss and turned back to the phone and answered a call. "Hey, what's the 411?"

Seth scowled in reflection then turned to Johnathan. "How old is that lady?"

Johnathan lightly smacked him on the back and laughed. "She's sixty two, but her teenage grandchildren have been telling her she's not 'with it' enough, so she's practicing. We all get a kick out of her attempts and none of us have hindered her."

"Hnnn." Sesshoumaru followed Johnathan into a medium sized office with a wall of windows.

"Do you like to read?" Johnathan's question startled Sesshoumaru out of his gaze of the sunny Texan landscape.

"Yes."

"What do you like to read?"

"Most anything."

"Well then, please feel free to use my personal library if you get bored. My first appointment is in ten minutes and if you would not be offended, I really need that time to put together my game and read a few emails."

"I do not mind." Sesshoumaru walked over to the wall of books and pulled a thin book on leadership off of the wall. "Do you have a place you would prefer me to go?"

Johnathan waved at a couch against another wall. "Please have a seat. Feel free to be as active in the meeting as you wish."

"I do not wish. But I appreciate your invitation." Sesshoumaru flipped a page with the tip of one finger and continued to read.

Ten minutes later, two men walked into the room. Sesshoumaru looked up quickly before going back to his reading. One of the men was a short thin man holding a beige cowboy hat and wearing a tobacco colored suit and dark brown dress shoes. The other was a tall burly man with a bright yellow dress shirt, black pants and black cowboy boots. Both had bolo ties and Sesshoumaru quickly decided he needed to find an elegant one to add to his collection of neck ware.

Johnathan smiled and stood up to shake both of their hands. "Gentleman, please have a seat." He gestured towards the chairs across the desk and waited for them to sit.

As the gentlemen turned, they both caught sight of the quiet visitor sitting on the couch in the back of the room. Curious, they sat and waited for an explanation. When Johnathan started the meeting, the shorter man interrupted.

"What about…" he raised and hand and negligently waved over his shoulder.

"Oh, sorry. Have either of you seen _The Wizard of Oz_?" They both nodded their heads. "Ignore the man behind the curtain, if you will." If Johnathan hadn't seen Seth's slightly raised eyebrow as he turned another page, he would have thought his manager had completely tuned him out.

"Ok, then I need to talk with you about…"

ssssssss

At lunch, Johnathan told Clarice they were going to be gone until 2pm. She just smiled prettily and told them she'd make Clinton Circuits wait until they returned. Since the office wasn't too far from Texas A&M, he asked Seth if he was up for an adventure. He'd eaten enough meals with the man to know that Seth appreciated good meat and thought the boss might like to try his favorite college haunt.

"Just do not poison me."

As they pulled into the gravel driveway of a shack by the name of the Chicken Oil Company, Sesshoumaru raised both eyebrows, but said nothing as he opened his door. The wind had picked up a little, causing the dust from their entrance to blow into his hair. But it also caused the smell from the shack to waft towards his nose. He squelched a smile before turning to the man with the keys. "Burgers?"

"Yup. This place makes a pretty good one." Walking to the door, Johnathan wondered if his boss would be offended by the atmosphere on the inside. The outside was covered in signs, the numerous Texaco signs a subtle reminder that the restaurant had started as a gas station. Johnathan himself was looking forward to the meal, he hadn't been here in months.

After ordering, Sesshoumaru looked around the building. The windows were outlined in license plates while the tables were well scarred. He watched as a young man in jogging pants pulled out a pocket knife and started carving on one.

Johnathan smiled. "It's okay. If you have the need to add some Japanese culture, feel free."

Sesshoumaru then turned his attention to the animals on the walls. "Is there much sport in these animals?"

Johnathan thought for a moment. "Some of them. Some of them are just local celebrities. Take that one for an instance…" Pointing at a round, shelled creature, he waited for Seth to take a good long look. "That's called an armadillo. It's native to this area of the country. Reminds us a lot of the original Texans, stubborn and ornery. They can be very persistent. They eat trash and mess up your car if you hit them on the road. But they're so ugly, they're almost cute."

Sesshoumaru had to agree that they were very ugly. He wondered for an instant if Kagome would find them cute; but figured given her history, she would. Just as he decided to pick up an armadillo souvenir, their food arrived.

Johnathan had ordered the 1/4lb cheeseburger, since he was trying to lower his cholesterol and eating greasy burgers wasn't exactly on his doctor's 'to do' list. But he'd recommended Seth get the 1/2lb patty. He'd been surprised when Seth had asked for it to be cooked more rare than done, and hoped Seth really liked it rare because they were typically cooked medium. But they both ate in silence, each enjoying his own meal. After they were done, Johnathan stretched. "Excuse me, I'm going to take care of business before we head back to the office."

Seth inclined his head. "Of course." He waited until Johnathan was out of sight and then gently traced four hiragana on the table. He watched the acid from his claw eat into the wood. As Johnathan neared the table, Seth suddenly stood and knocked over his water.

Johnathan rushed over. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine, the table was less steady than I imagined." Turning away, he smiled to himself, feeling pleased with his experience. It would be almost five years before a person who read Japanese would sit at that spot and read his tribute. But when she read 'oishii,' she had to agree that it was indeed good food.

**A/N:** Gomen nasai Minna-san. I started this morning 500 miles from home, with four wheels and a 4-cyl engine. I was afraid I wouldn't get here in time and had decided to wait until tomorrow, but I know a lot of you look forward to these Monday updates. I got a LOT of reviews last week. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The Chicken Oil Co. is a real place, with legendary burgers. Google it if you don't believe me :-). I hope you have a great week everyone! -TK


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Kagome was too busy to think about eating, or Sesshoumaru. Or at least she tried to believe the last part. Michael had finally gotten her VR system working and she'd been tied to it like it had become a cyber-optic symbiont. She was three-fourths of the way into her current genome string when Jaken cleared his throat behind her. After jumping six inches and getting tangled in her cords, she saved her work and took off her headset to glare at the imp.

"I tried heavy walking, clanking the Staff of Two Heads on the floor, even tap dancing. You were impervious. Please forgive my rudeness." If he hadn't looked so smug, she would have thought he was being completely serious.

"I thought the Staff of Two Heads had been left behind the very last time Sesshoumaru visited his father's grave." Kagome gently laid the equipment in its specially designed box and stood to stretch. "Oh, I didn't realize I'd been sitting for so long."

"Nine hours. Come on ningen. You look tired, and you have company." He turned and scurried up the stairs, cloaking his appearance as he neared the top.

"Company? Who would visit me here?" Running her fingers through her hair, she hoped she didn't actually look as rumpled as she felt. The smell of pizza hit her nose before she made it to the top. Not everyday food, pizza was a special treat. Hoping they had gone with extra cheese instead of the squid special she'd had the last time, she closed her eyes and turned the corner.

"Oh my gosh! You look great!"

Kagome barely got a squeal of surprise out before Lucy had wrapped her arms around her friend and picked her up, swinging her madly in her exuberance.

"Honey, please put Kagome down. You could hurt her." Logan smiled and put a hand in the pocket of the jeans covering his cocked hip as he leaned sexily against the inner shoji. "We hoped dinner would make up for our rude arrival. This place is bloomin' hard to find."

"I'm sorry."

"You're not hiding from us are you?" Lucy crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her friend. "Not that I'd blame you if Mr. Sleek was here."

'_Mr. Sleek?'_ "Uh, are you talking about Seth?" Kagome was trying to unobtrusively sneak over to the pizza in Logan's other hand.

"Of course I am. Where is he anyways?"

"Texas. Some business emergency." She was almost to the box when Logan stood and turned towards the kitchen. _'__Damn it!'_

"Lucy, let's get some plates. Kagome's trying to edge us towards the food."

Kagome blushed and laughed when Logan winked at her.

Over a double-mushroom cheese, they discussed their lives for the last two weeks. Lucy and Logan learned that Kagome had been working on an especially tricky genome sequence that she had traced back to seven different types of cancer. After getting a strange look from her guests, she smiled.

"Have you ever seen X-Men?" At their confused look, she continued. "The movie?"

"Oh, yes." Logan had his mouth full of chewy cheese, so Lucy answered.

"Well, the scientific community has made a breakthrough almost equal to Pasteur's discovery that germs caused illness, not cold air or rain."

"Okay?!"

"Well, you know how in the movie mutated cells cause special powers?"

"Yes." Lucy smiled as she absently reached for another piece of pizza.

"We've recently learned that mutations in genes are what cause cancer. So, we're studying the genes in the cancer cells, and their genome sequences. Our objective is to find patterns that will help us better design drugs to target these mutations. If the mutant genes can be destroyed, the cells will not regenerate and the cancer will not grow."

"That's what you do for a living?" Logan had stopped eating and was staring at Kagome as if she'd grown a second head.

"Basically. I study the genome sequence, using VR technology and very expensive lab equipment."

"Marvelous!"

"Wow!"

Logan leaned back, his meal temporarily forgotten. Waiting until Kagome had gotten a nice big bite of pizza, he smiled evilly. "How did you get into this field?"

She glared at him, knowing he'd done that on purpose. Chewing rapidly, she held a finger up telling him to wait. After a sip of soda to clear out her mouth, she started. "When I was a teenager, I took a trip to a place that had no medical knowledge outside of herbs. I had to learn a lot about ancient medicine in a short period of time."

"Why?"

Wondering if they would believe her, she started in on the same tale she'd told everyone else. "Well, I was really sick when I was a teenager. I missed a lot of school. In fact, I missed so much school that I had to take special classes just to graduate."

"And as sick as you were, your parents sent you to a foreign country? Why?" Now Logan was leaning forward, a scowl forming between his eyes.

"First, my father died when I was little, so it was just my mother and my grandfather. Second, I went to that place because there really was no choice for me." It was the truth, just a little skewed.

"How long did you stay?" Lucy was looking concerned.

"Listen, I'm fine now. Nothing's broken anymore." At their relieved looks, she continued. "Except for occasional trips home, I was there for three years."

"And this ancient medicine healed you?" Logan looked skeptical.

"The ancient medicine was crucial to my survival. Without it, I know in my heart I would have died." She watched as the disbelief lessened in both of their faces. "But you asked why I went into this research, right?" At their small nods, she smiled. "There was this old woman who took care of me. I called her Kaede. She became a mentor and a surrogate mother figure to me. Well, she probably was more of a grumpy old grandmother figure, but who's counting? Her health started failing the last year I was there and although her village wasn't advanced enough, I knew it was cancer. I watched her slowly weaken and then eventually die. I would have liked to bring here home with me, give her a chance with modern medicine, but it wasn't possible. She said she knew her place in life and that if death was the kami's fate for her, she'd accept it. After Kaede died, I started recognizing signs of it everywhere around me. Several villagers had it, in greater and lesser forms. When I came home for the last time, everything right with my world again, I swore to myself that I was going to find a cure for such a horrible death."

She stopped to take another sip of her sweet cola. "I was fortunate in that the college I attended had a good acceptance rate into the University of California, San Francisco. My doctorate school is famous for cancer research and is where J. Michael Bishop and Harold E. Varmus taught, the two gentlemen who won the 1989 Peace Prize for determining the way cancer is started by the body. After graduation, I was offered several jobs, but the one currently I have appealed to me the most." There was one piece of pizza left, and Kagome snagged it. "Now that you've kept me occupied talking, I'm going to eat. Tell me about your days."

Lucy talked about how business had picked up this week in the café. "I had to hire a part-timer full-time." At Kagome's confused look and Logan's laugh, she smiled. "I only had part-time help and I had to hire one of them to work for me full-time." At Kagome's thumbs up, she continued. "And we have a new drink I think you'll like. It's called Pecan Pie, and is a southern pecan coffee based caramel. It's pretty good."

"I bet. I'll stop by the next time I'm up there and try one, okay?" She turned to Logan. "How's the movie coming?"

He smiled, his teeth barely showing. "What do you think, do I have the smile right?" At her shivery reaction, he quit grinning. "I thought so. Movie's almost done. I'd ruin things if I told you how it ended, but it's going to be very good." He sighed. "It's hard getting a feel on this guy. I want everyone to hate him, but I want him to have depth."

Kagome looked down at the floor for a second and came to a decision. "What's his motivation?"

Logan thought for a moment. "He wants power."

"Why?"

"He's angry."

"Why?"

"Because he can't have what he wants."

"Which is…"

Logan had to think for another minute. "The priestess."

"And why can't he have her?"

"Because she's dead." He looked at her with dawning recognition. "Because he killed her."

"Does he love her?"

"I don't know."

"Why did he kill her?" She smiled. "You have to understand that to understand his motivation." She turned back to Lucy and they started talking about some of the more interesting things that had happened in Japanese Society in the last few weeks. They were just getting into the previous Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's latest social outing when Logan suddenly interrupted.

"I figured it out!" Both women turned to look at him. "He sold his soul for demon strength. They possessed his body and killed the person he'd sold his soul for, so that he'd be filled with angst and rage. He fights constantly with those demons because she has come back from the dead. The priestess is his fatal obsession while he sees her reincarnation as his potential doom." He suddenly reached over and grabbed Kagome, giving her a huge hug. "I've got it. I'm ready to play the next scene."

"How much do you have left of this movie?" It seemed awfully late into the filming to just be figuring out the motive behind the character.

"Oh, we're just doing finishing touches with the first one. We're actually starting on the sequel and I want Naraku to have more personality in this one." He suddenly smiled sheepishly. "Well, I guess I just gave away that the bad guy doesn't die at the end of the first movie."

"It's okay, I didn't figure he did. Inutai Films is known for series films." She should know, she'd seen his name on enough of them.

"Logan!" Lucy threw her napkin at him. "You ruined it for me!"

He ruffled her hair and leaned over to kiss her. "You'll still go see it with me though, right?"

She huffed. "Yes. Although I'm going to make you pay for this lapse later."

Kagome smiled and stood, picking up the trash from their dinner. It was getting late enough that she knew they'd be heading out soon. Deciding to offer them a small desert, she walked into the kitchen and surprised one of the staff. The woman was an owl demon with feathers sticking out around her eyes and ears perched wearily on her head. "I'm sorry for intruding on your domain, I was looking for something sweet to finish off dinner."

"Whooo…" The woman continued to look at her with beady eyes.

Kagome suddenly bowed. "Sumimasen, I am Kagome Higu… Kagome Shujin."

The woman twisted her head twice and pointed to the door. "Whooo…."

"Oh, they are old friends of mine. I was going to offer them dessert. Do we have

anything that I can offer?" The owl lady nodded jerkily and went to the refrigerator. Pulling out six iced cupcakes, she handed the tray to Kagome. "Arigatou Gozaimasu!" Kagome turned to leave, but the lady's next question stopped her cold.

"How do they know of the evil that infested the lands?"

Kagome turned back to her. "They think it's a fictional story."

"But you know better."

"Yes."

"How?"

Kagome smiled at her. "That my dear owl lady, is a story for another night."

Satisfied with the answer, the old lady turned and faded back into the shadows.

ssssssss

Lucy and Logan left after enjoying the cream frosted chocolate cupcakes. Kagome made a decision that she would ask Sesshoumaru's permission to stop by the kitchens and tell the staff about her knowledge of Naraku the next time her husband bothered to call home.

**A/N:** Wow, what a busy week last week was. Thank you so much for all of the awesome reviews, and thank you for reading. I have some startlingly good news, this story was nominated for Best Drama on the Dokuga yahoo group. Thank you Ima for that honor! There are a lot of wonderful stories on the nominations board for many things, not just best drama. If you want to check it out, you'll need to join before this upcoming Friday (18th). If you're a member, vote for your favorite. It doesn't have to be Moving Forward, this story is up against some tough competition and I won't be destroyed if the story doesn't win (although it would be waaay cool). I would like to see good turnout on the voting, regardless of who wins.

And don't forget, for those of you who are living in/members of the US and working or getting scholarships for college, taxes are due tomorrow. If you don't file, you can't get the incentive check later this year. If you're doing some 12th hour filing and stopped to read this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. If you're already done, don't laugh too hard at the ones that aren't, it's not nice ;-) I hope everyone has a great week and I'll be updating later. -TK


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Sesshoumaru called Kagome on Friday and told her to meet his flight at the Narita Airport the next day.

Tired of the heavy-handed way he had started treating her after their marriage, she stayed in the car while Jaken went in to retrieve the rude one. She was still sitting with her arms crossed over her chest and one slim leg crossed over the other when he flung open the door and sulked inside.

Removing his sunglasses, he glared at her. "Typically when a husband asks his wife to meet him at the airport, he expects to be greeted by said woman."

She slanted her eyes at him. "If you'd asked, I might have. But you demanded. So I waited in the car. If you'd wanted to be greeted by a sweet little miss, you should have made her feel like you wanted to see her."

While Jaken opened the front door to sit beside Michael, Michael took the opportunity to tip his hat. "Welcome home masster, you were misssed."

"Hmmm, I can tell."

When the car turned into town instead of towards the Rainbow Bridge that would take them towards the house, Kagome looked at the silent man sitting beside her. "We aren't going back to the mansion?"

"No. I have to work downtown tomorrow." He watched her shift in her seat. "There are clothes for you at the condo."

'_Condo?' _"Okay. Does this mean I can go into the office tomorrow too?"

"Do as you will. Be home before dinner. I have made reservations."

Neither was again willing to break the silence and when they reached the condo, both headed in opposite directions. Michael shook his head while Jaken stared in concern after Sesshoumaru. "They won't ever get it right will they?"

"Why do you ask me personal questions about our master, snake? It's impertinent!" Jaken hurried to catch up to his former master's angry form, hoping he could do something to help.

ssssssss

Their dinner date was a disaster. It was the first time they had been out in public since they had married. Kagome tried to act surprisingly pleasant, the perfect wife to her powerful husband. Sesshoumaru wanted to have a quiet dinner with the woman he was growing to care too much about. Fate had other plans.

They had decided on the French _Repertoire_ in the Hotel Seiyo Ginza near Ueno Park. The atmosphere was quiet and intimate, but neither was looking to emphasize something they were both hoping to ignore. Their unholy battle started when Sesshoumaru growled at her when she ordered one of the lowest priced dishes on the menu. He told her he had plenty of money and she could order what she wanted. When she answered that what she wanted was what she ordered, Sesshoumaru had growled and told her she lacked imagination. Kagome furthered the battle by snapping at him when he took the last piece of bread. By the end of dinner, they were both making those around them uncomfortable with the snide comments and evil looks they continued to give each other.

After dinner, they went to Ueno Park and walked around the mall, stopping to watch the fountains. As she watched the fountains going through their program, Kagome came to a decision. After taking a deep breath, only a quiet timid voice came out. "Do you regret marrying me?"

His thoughts of the coming rain were completely obliterated by her question. "What do you speak, woman?" Sesshoumaru put a hand into his pants pocket, leaning against one of the rails.

"We can undo it." Kagome thought the lights were becoming very glittery through the tears starting in her eyes.

"Is that what you want? We have barely been married a week." Sesshoumaru looked out over the fountains wondering if his marriage was going to be as fleeting as the water jets that had suddenly gone silent.

"I don't know what I want, but I don't want you avoiding me." A tear ran down her cheek and she swiped angrily at it.

"It is going to take time for both of us to adjust to being married. Will you give our marriage this time? I am willing to do so."

"How long have we known each other?" She turned to look at him. "Do you think I can be the person you want me to be?"

Sesshoumaru did not know how to tell her that he only wanted her to be herself. Of all the years he had known her, he had always respected that she held herself true. She had argued with InuYasha, she had even suffered massive heartbreak; but she had never changed herself to try to become the person the half-breed wanted her to be. Since Sesshoumaru did not know how to answer, he remained silent.

Frustrated that he was going to be his usually stoic self and not talk to her, Kagome just sighed and headed back to the car in silence. Sesshoumaru followed behind, the opportunity for him to comment gone.

ssssssss

Michael drove them home in silence, knowing that words would only add to the tension in the vehicle. As they pulled up in front of the condo in Seto, Kagome turned to him. "Do you regret it?" He only raised an eyebrow. "Listen up, you stuck-up iceburg, I know you could care less about me and my feelings. But I don't want to spend the rest of my short inconsequential life with a man, Youkai, whatever the hell you are, if neither of us is going to be happy. Do you want to stay married with me?"

Sesshoumaru wanted to make sure he phrased his answer properly, so he sat and stared out the window to gather his thoughts. The woman beside him had tears flowing down her cheeks and he could not think straight while looking at her pain. But before he could answer, she opened her door.

"Fine, I know I'm just another human that you could care less about. I'll be out of your life in the morning." Slamming the door behind her, she ran into the house.

Sesshoumaru got out of the car and hurried off in search of the fleeing Kagome.

He had a moment's pause to wonder if Kagome actually wanted to see him, considering her parting words had accused him of being a pompous iceburg who had no consideration for those humans who mistakenly cross his path. Deciding he was too damned old to be putting up with human fickleness, he headed towards the sound of pitiful sobbing. Pushing open the door of the study, he found Kagome curled up on the floor on the far side of the couch, her skirt guilelessly raked up far enough to tease at underwear color. Before he had a chance to warn her he was in the room, she spoke.

Her voice was pitiful, broken with small hiccups and gasping sighs. "I don't understand why I'm in such a horrible mood." She wouldn't look up and meet his eyes. "I said some truly bad things to you."

Sesshoumaru knelt, his knee popping and reminding him that life was less illusionary than fleeting. "Yes, you did. I do."

Her eyes were drenched pools and Sesshoumaru knew he could drown in them if he let himself. "What?"

"I do want to stay married with you. And I do understand why you are in such a 'horrible mood'." He brushed her bangs out of her face. "This is called sexual frustration." He sighed. "There is not much that can be done about it."

"Why not?"

"Because we agreed that this marriage would be platonic."

"Can't you be persuaded to change your mind?"

Sesshoumaru chuckled painfully. "It was not my decision."

"Oh, well it was a foolish decision." She blushed. "Can I take it back?"

Sesshoumaru stood. "That may be a more foolish decision."

"So you're really not attracted to me?"

Suddenly he swooped down and kissed her, so hard it bruised her lips. "Attraction has nothing to do with why I caution you to use wisdom with this choice."

She raised a hand to her lips, touching them softly. "Oh…okay." She fidgeted with the hem of her dress. "Why are you cautioning me?"

He growled softly, having wanted to avoid this conversation for the rest of her life. "I am not sure I can hold myself back."

"Huh?" Her eyes got larger. "What exactly would you do?"

"If we had sex, I might end up marking you. Being my mate means you will be bound to me for the rest of your life. You would no longer have the option to leave."

Kagome's eyes slanted. "That might not be such a bad thing."

Sesshoumaru knew lust was talking and did not allow his self to feel that prickle of hope. "That is not a decision that you can make in your present condition." He turned, his bearing such that Kagome should have known not to mess with him.

She stood and walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and squeezing. "I think this is the best condition in which to make that decision." He smelled nice and she dug her nose in to get closer to him.

When she started rubbing against his back, Sesshoumaru pushed her against the wall, holding her hands above her head in a tight grip. He glared angrily at her. "You will rethink this in the morning."

Before she had a chance to respond, the door was slamming behind him and she knew she'd again be sleeping in that big bed by herself. "Baka" she whispered at herself before turning to gaze out the window.

ssssssss

Sesshoumaru soared over the town, staying low enough to evade radar, but high enough he looked like a low flying cloud. The weather was clear, but it was dark and he really did not care if anyone saw him or not. His brain was fighting itself over his wife. They had been married almost two weeks and he was beginning to regret his decision. Even if they had not run into InuYasha, even if he had not seen the look of longing on Kagome's face, even if he could make himself believe that she had only been longing for children, he still did not believe she would be able to make her heart open enough for him to walk through. Without her heart, he saw no future. He would be throwing himself at her, just like his idiot brother had thrown himself at Kikyo; and Kagome would continuously tear him into tiny shreds, much like the sheets Jaken had informed him had become their new bedroom rug. He was not sure he could survive death by paper cut, but he knew he would never be able to walk away from the woman who slept in his bed. Angry that he had let himself become this weak, he turned and headed back to the mansion, deciding it was time he hardened his heart.

**A/N:** Well Minna-san. I hope each of you had a good week. I did. My to-do list is slowly working its way towards general maintenance (a good thing trust me). Maybe I'll finally get some time to finish up my other stories that are bugging me. I want to thank each of you for reading, and thank you for all of you who sent a note or review. I got some very nice reviews this week, I appreciate your feedback! Please have a good week and I hope you enjoyed the latest update. -TK


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

The next morning, Kagome was surprised to find her husband sitting at the table reading the newspaper. He flipped the page as she headed towards the small buffet table.

"Good morning wife."

She turned and looked expectantly at him. "Is it?"

He never looked past the paper. "Indeed."

She grabbed a plate and put eggs and some of his abominable grits on her plate. "And why would that be?"

He observed her grimace as she took a bite of grits. "Because today is Sunday and I plan on spending the entire day with my new wife."

"Great." She scowled at her plate.

"If you do not like something, do not eat it. The menu can be modified to incorporate your interests." He carefully folded the paper, the material making a quiet crinkling noise as it yielded to his machinations. Setting it on the corner of the table, he slowly reached forward and picked up his coffee mug. "Get with the chef and tell him what you want for breakfast."

She looked up into his golden eyes and smiled. "You don't mind?"

"No." He watched her push the eggs around her plate but did not react until he heard her sigh. "What is the concern now, ningen?"

Her cheeks tinged pink as she looked up guiltily. "I'm not…I'm okay."

"Hnnn." He inhaled the sharp fragrance of the Sumatra region coffee he preferred. "Lying begets suffering."

"Oooh! How'd you…?"

"I raised a human, or has your feeble brain forgotten this?" He raised an eyebrow waiting for the reaction.

She suddenly stood and threw a fork at him. "You insufferable beast. And to think I was leaning towards…" Her face turned bright red and she turned away from him.

He stood and walked towards her. "It is better if you refrain from that train of thought." Passing by her, he walked out the door and disappeared.

Feeling impetuous, she turned and stuck her head out the door. "Does this mean we're not going to hang out today?"

"No. Get dressed." He was yelling from the other end of the condo.

She turned back to her mostly uneaten food and muttered. "Damn."

"I heard you!"

Realizing that this was the first time she'd ever heard him raise his voice, she took a small victory out of getting more emotion from the stuck-up demon than anyone else.

ssssssss

Even though they had eaten breakfast early, Kagome's indecision on what to wear caused them to get a late start. Sesshoumaru, trying to keep his word that he would give their marriage a chance, bit his tongue until it bled; but he did not make any comments about her lack of timing. He also held his opinion when she insisted they take the trains to their destination instead of the car. Being packed into a small compartment full of smelly humans was not his idea of a good start to their day. However, when he found himself standing, protecting her from harm with his larger body, he secretly harbored an instant's thought that maybe the train had not been such a poor choice.

Thinking that Sesshoumaru would probably like to be outside, Kagome had decided that they needed to visit the Hama Rikyu Garden in Chuo-ku. As he was getting ready to protest, she turned with a huge smile on her face and grabbed his arm. "If I don't make you mad, can we go across the Kachidoki Bridge to Tsukishima and have monjayaki? I enjoy eating with the little hagashi spatulas."

Deciding that he was not exactly against the somewhat runny version of onomiyaki, he had reluctantly agreed.

Because Kagome had not been paying attention, she was surprised when they arrived at the Shimbashi Station and Sesshoumaru pushed her towards the door. "Is this our exit?"

"Hnn." They walked through the busy streets and towards the Sumida River to get to the Hama Rikyu. Once there, they walked around the grounds, enjoying the greenery. The pond in the middle of the garden had lily pads on the corners and the smell of the seawater was refreshing after the closed air in the trains.

As they were walking across the curved bridge, Sesshoumaru leading and Kagome staying a respective length behind him, she suddenly sighed and turned to put her hands on the rails. "This place is so old, why did we never come across it in our travels?"

Sesshoumaru stopped and came back to stand beside her, his arms crossed over his chest. "This garden is only a couple of hundred years old. It was not built until after Tokugawa Ieyasu renamed Kaede's village from Edo to Tokyo and made it the capital."

Kagome scrunched her eyes together and thought for a second. "Seth, I thought Tokyo became the capital in 1868 during the Meiji Restoration. Haven't you ever watched that Anime show, Rurouni Kenshin?"

Sesshoumaru just shook his head lightly and grabbed her hand, putting it in the crook of his elbow and again setting off down the path. "Tokyo was officially renamed the capital of Japan in 1868. However, it had been the unofficial capital for a much longer time than that. There were over a million people living here by 1868, but Edo Castle was started in the 1400's, and was becoming quite the Shogun's palace by the time Tokugawa renamed Edo in the early 1600's."

Kagome pulled away and put her hands on her hips to glare at him. "I was here in the 1400's. Why don't I remember the castle?"

"I am almost certain that you do." He watched a crane dive down and snag a fish while gardeners yelled and shook rakes at the rude bird.

She threw a hand up. "What?"

"I seem to remember a tale about a Taijiya being proposed to in front of a small castle by the local Daimyo. I believe that the tale went on to say that she turned him down in order to stay with a no account lecherous monk."

Kagome stood there with her mouth open. "The bear demon? That man was famous?"

"His progeny became famous." He wrapped her hand around his arm again. "We are causing a scene. Please walk with me."

"That little place was Edo Castle?" She shook her head. "There is no possible way!"

He continued walking, having no other answers to her unspoken question.

ssssssss

It was mid-afternoon before they took a cab across the Kachidoki Bridge into Tsukishima. The island's name, which officially meant 'constructed island,' had been romanticized to 'moon island' and most people preferred it over the more industrialized name. They found a nice restaurant with small intimate tables. Over a hibachi style grill, they cooked their meal and discussed politics from the feudal era forward. Sesshoumaru had always been amazed by how much food this one little human could eat and today was no exception. As they had a small hagashi fight over the last bite of the dough, he wondered about the woman sitting across from him. She knew him as both the beast and the man, had even been on the victim side of one of his rampages. But here she sat, battling him over food. He scowled as she took advantage of his mental distraction and scooped up the last bite. Her smile was wicked and victorious as she popped the morsel in her mouth and chewed. Sesshoumaru unconsciously smiled back and then had to come around the table to thump her back as she coughed.

When he sat back down, he waited until she had finished her sip of water, then leaned forward. "What was that all about?"

Kagome sheepishly grinned. "You smiled."

"This surprised you enough to choke on a bite of food?"

"You never smile."

"You have surely seen a smile."

"Once." He raised his eyebrow at the same time he took a sip of his tea. "And it was quickly followed by a scowl when you realized your acid had not melted me."

Sesshoumaru put the cup down and looked at her. "I felt extremely betrayed by my father in that moment."

"Why?"

"I had done everything my father asked of me, but yet he left me a useless sword and entrusted his most powerful fang to my half-breed brother." He sighed. "Then a useless female girl did something this mighty Sesshoumaru had failed at doing when she pulled the sword out of its resting place. Then it had the gall to protect you against my rage." He glared at her. "We will not begin to discuss the loss of my better sword arm."

"You're left-handed?"

"I was. I learned how to be right-handed and can now use either." He called for the check so that they could leave the restaurant. "Speaking of treasured fangs… does InuYasha still have Tessaiga?"

Kagome smiled. "It was very generous of you to allow him to keep the sword when you discovered it sealed his uncontrollable demon. I never had the opportunity to appropriately thank you." Suddenly she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

"You have not answered my question." He was working hard to ignore the response his body was making to her simple gesture.

Kagome leaned back into her chair and smiled as a waiter suddenly appeared with the check. She watched as Sesshoumaru pulled out a credit card to pay for lunch. "Did you know that the sword would only work as long as he had demon blood in him?"

"I suspected."

"He abandoned it after he became human. I keep it in my bedroom at the house so that it will come to no harm." The check arrived at that point and she watched in fascination as he completed all of his business quicker than she could blink and had flagged down a taxi quicker than she could follow him to the door.

"Higurashi Shrine, please."

**A/N:** Yes, yes and you thought this story was going to wrap up quickly? My muse led me around and around before finally settling back and purring contently with the results. So, I posted last week and then sealed the computer room to finish the dry wall (all done!!). That means I didn't get to read any reviews until late in the week. Wow! Thank you so much! I so enjoy hearing what you have to say (and I'll go back and fix the "could care less/could not care less" in a few weeks. I have to fix another fairly large error besides that and I'll do them both at the same time). I hope each of you had a great week, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading, please try to have a good week this week. -TK


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

When Sesshoumaru stepped out of the taxi, he looked over to see his wife frowning at him. "Nani desu ka?"

"What do you mean, 'what?' I can't believe that you would pay so much money just because you're too impatient to take the train." She knew he was getting ready to run up the stairs, so she grabbed his hand and started the climb. "You need to be calm and reserved about this. I would hate for you to lose your reputation as an Ice Lord over a piece of metal."

Sesshoumaru wanted to disagree with Kagome. Tessaiga was not simply a piece of metal. It was the 'sword that could kill a hundred demons.' But when he opened his mouth, he noticed that Kagome had a glint in her eye. He sighed. _I forget that if anyone knows the power of Tessaiga, it would be Kagome._

When they reached the top, Kagome let go of Sesshoumaru's hands and raised hers high above her head, stretching all the bones in her spine. "Ah! It's good to be home!" Quickening her step, she headed toward the house. Suddenly she turned and looked at Sesshoumaru. "Does it look like anyone's home?" At his negative nod, she frowned. "The Shrine is open. We have never left it open if we were going to be gone." Opening the door, she smelled something extremely good coming from the kitchen. "Tadaima!" (I'm home) When she got no response, she walked towards the kitchen and saw a half-eaten casserole dish on the counter and three plates on the table. "Okaa-san?" Kagome was beginning to get worried when she heard a shoji slide open.

"Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi was tying the belt to her yukata as she walked towards them. Her hair was slightly mussed and she looked like she'd been sleeping.

"Are you sick mom?"

She gave a very forced yawn and smiled. "No, I just felt like a sudden afternoon nap dear."

"Where's Jiji-chan?"

"I believe he's working in the garden." _'__If he knows what's good for him, he'll stay there all afternoon.'_ She suddenly straightened and smiled at her daughter. "Is there a reason for your wonderful surprise visit?"

Sesshoumaru grunted, keeping his opinion that Mrs. Higurashi wasn't all that happy about their visit to himself.

"We just came to get something out of my room."

"I'll make tea."

Sesshoumaru smiled craftily. "Please do not bother on our behalves. We are merely here to retrieve a piece of property. We will be leaving immediately." With that, he ushered his wife up the stairs and towards her room.

"Se.."

He put a finger to her lips. "Do not be so familiar with me right now."

"Oh I see how you are. Now that you are getting Tessaiga, I'm no longer worthy to talk to you!?"

"Quit being ridiculous Kagome. We will discuss this on the way home."

"And how are we getting home?"

"I called for the car while we were riding in the cab."

"Oh." She walked over to a closet and opened the door. Pushing aside some ceremonial kimono, she reached down and pulled out a battered sheathe. She handed it to Sesshoumaru and watched as he gently inspected the sword. "It didn't burn your hands."

"No." He turned and headed towards the door. "Let us leave. Your mother needs her sleep."

They were all the way outside before Kagome could gather her breath. "Is my mom okay?"

He made her wait until they were starting down the steps before he responded. "Yes, but she has company." He stopped and looked at her.

It took about seventeen seconds before she put two and two together. Her "EEEEWWW!" made him smile all the way down the stairs.

Michael was waiting patiently at the car. He raised an eyebrow at the sword in his master's right hand, but said nothing. Walking around to the front of the car, he wondered what they had been doing all day. "Where would you like to go?"

"The mansion." Sesshoumaru lightly fingered the frayed ribbon around the hilt of the sword. "This needs repair. InuYasha had no sense of honor and let it slide into disrepair."

Kagome laughed. "It looked like that when I pulled it out of the stone it was encased in."

"This Sesshoumaru had never been so angry as when you performed that innocent little act." He squinted at her.

"I know." She suddenly chuckled. "You know the irony…"

"Hnn…"

"If you really believe that the sword belonged to the one who removed it, I would be the true owner of the sword." She reached over and touched the black sheathe.

"Indeed." He turned and presented it back to her.

She smiled again. "No, I have given it to you. I did so just a few minutes ago when you rudely wouldn't let me use your…" She frowned. "I get it. I couldn't use your name because Mom's boyfriend was there." At his nod, she shuddered. "Oh, that's just something I don't want to think about. My mother is having sex!" _'__and I'm not.' _To get her mind off of those thoughts, she suddenly turned to Sesshoumaru. "You tried to melt me!"

He chuckled lightly. "You took something that did not belong to you."

"But you covered me in acid!" She poked him in the chest and he grunted. "If it hadn't been for your very wise father, I would have died!"

"Hnn…"

"And you would not be married to me now."

"True."

"Would you have missed me?"

He looked at her intently for a moment, a very long silent moment. "No, I would have not missed you. I did not know you at that time."

"Who would have saved Rin?"

"There would not have been a need, ningen. If you had died, I would have killed InuYasha. He would not have cut my arm off, and I would not have been in the forest for Rin to find."

"She found you?" Kagome frowned. "But she was just a little girl."

"Yes. She nursed me back to health after I had given up."

"The great Sesshoumaru-sama gave up?"

"My father trusted his most prized possession to his half-breed son. To his heir, he left nothing but a crumbling castle, a land at war, and the ridicule of the demon community because of his love for a human woman. He tainted everything he gave to me."

Kagome looked down into her lap. "Oh." Suddenly she grinned evilly. "But I don't regret giving InuYasha the sword. We defeated Naraku and you had the opportunity to learn to understand humans."

They spent the rest of the trip home arguing about whether humans or demons were better. When they arrived at the mansion, Sesshoumaru quickly headed towards his study. When Kagome did not follow, he stopped to look at her. "Well?"

"Oh, you want me there for the momentous occasion of fixing the sword?"

"Unless you feel you will be bored."

She laughed and grabbed his free hand. "Even if I fall asleep, at least I will have gotten the honor of seeing the Great Eastern Lord get his hands dirty in manual labor."

"Foolish ningen. Returning honor to a mighty sword is not considered labor, it is a privilege." He led her down the hall and into a room she had not yet explored.

"I thought we were headed to your study." She looked around and saw the cases of swords. She looked closely. "Where is Tenseiga? I have yet to see it."

He headed to a cabinet and removed a small box. "I will show you when I have finished restoring Tessaiga."

Sesshoumaru worked on the sword, marveling at how his foolish half-brother could have given up such a powerful weapon. Deciding that his younger sibling had shown himself unworthy by discarding everything that had value in his life, both the blade and the woman, he suddenly felt nothing but pity for the boy.

"After Tessaiga took on Tenseiga's powers, did Tenseiga cease to be anything more than a blade?"

"When Tessaiga became one with Tenseiga. It took all of Tenseiga's power and the blade was broken. Rin brought the physical sword back with her, something I did not realize until much later. I have retained the blade, for personal reasons."

"Didn't you feel further betrayed by your father?" She fiddled with a cushion on the chair she was sitting in.

"At first. Then I realized that he had provided a way for this Sesshoumaru to become his own demon. It was a very painful lesson to learn, but I became stronger by turning my back on this inheritance and forging my own way in the world." He finished the hilt and put the spare ribbon back in the box. He let out a small growl and Jaken immediately appeared at the door. "Were you listening in, toad?"

"Of course not, Sesshoumaru-sama." The toad's shifty eyes betrayed him, but Sesshoumaru let it go, as he had for over a thousand years. Jaken had proven himself to be trustworthy. Silly at times, but trustworthy.

"Hnn. I would like to have hot tea brought up. I am thirsty."

"What about…" He turned to look at the new mistress of the house.

Kagome blinked. "Jaken, if you will bring the supplies, I will serve tea." She smiled at him as he turned to leave.

"This Sesshoumaru would like you to flirt less with my retainers." He had steepled his fingers together and was staring at his wife.

"Oh! I was not flirting with him. Why do you always question me?" Suddenly she sat up and leaned forward. "You're trying to distract me. But it won't work." She smiled. "After Tenseiga's powers became Tessaiga's powers, what weapon were you left with?"

Sesshoumaru nodded at his wife's wisdom. "I had learned how to make my own Meidou. It is not as large as Tessaiga's, but I was not restricted by the lack of my left arm."

"Can you still use it?" The look he gave her answered her question. "Sorry, I should have known better than to ask such a silly question." Jaken entered at that point and placed the tray on the floor. Kagome stood up and walked over to it, kneeling and observing the setup. "You're not secretly hoping for a geisha wife, are you?"

Sesshoumaru stood and walked over to join her. "I would have made a foolish choice if that had been my aim. You are not geisha. You are only Kagome." His knee cracked as he knelt and Kagome looked up at him suddenly. His right lip curled in a snarl. "This Sesshoumaru is over a thousand years old. Do not look askance at me for such a small sign of age."

Kagome shrugged her shoulders, she had just been surprised that he would reveal such a 'weakness' to her. He could have stayed at his desk and she wouldn't have known. "So we're having a Sadoh?"

He looked at the instruments on the tray and nodded.

"I can't promise to be as glamorous as a Geisha, but I will do my best to honor you with such an important task." She set about performing the ceremony. First she opened a small canister and dipped a tiny spoon into it, scooping out a precise amount of the bright green matcha powder.

Sesshoumaru watched in well-hidden surprise, she had added almost exactly the right amount. In the thousand years of watching this ceremony performed, he had grown very familiar with the amount required for his preferred tastes. Clearing his throat lightly, he caused her to look up. "One more, I prefer it slightly stronger."

"Of course. Do you want light foam or heavy foam?" She used the spoon to add one more scoop. After adding the hot water from the pot, she sat back on her heels and waited for his answer.

"Medium." He sat completely still as she used the bamboo whisk, called a chasen, to stir the powder into the water. He watched as she carefully made sure all of the powder was off the sides of the bowl and then whipped it until a small layer of bubbles lay on top.

Putting the chasen back into its special holder, she turned the cup one hundred and eighty degrees and lifted it, handing it to him.

He bowed his head slightly in response and took the cup from her. Sipping it lightly, he enjoyed the bitter flavor as it tickled his tongue. When he put the cup down, he looked over and watched as she reached for the cup, ready to turn it back and wipe the spot from which he had drunk. He gently laid his hands on hers. "No. We are sharing tea. I did not want the full ceremony. Thank you for allowing me to watch you make tea. I have not had such an honor in a very long time." He waited until she made her own cup, than lifted his again. At her bitter grimace, he grinned. "What seems to be the problem, wife?"

She laughed lightly. "I'm not used to drinking matcha without the wagashi cake. It is a nice offset to the bitterness."

"I will have some made for the next time. What type do you prefer?"

She blushed, but replied "Daifuku."

Sesshoumaru was surprised that she preferred the ugliest and least sweet of the wagashi. It was famous in the geisha houses of Kyoto, but most people preferred the sweeter sponge varieties. "That is my preference as well."

Secretly thrilled that she had apparently passed the test, she silently drank her tea and thought about how this was such a traditionally domestic scene. Wondering if they really had a chance at making their marriage work, she was surprised when he suddenly stood.

"Thank you Kagome." He walked back around to the desk and watched as she closed the matcha canister and cleaned up any spills and powders.

She looked up at him. "Are you ready to work on the blade now?" At his nod, she stood and picked up the tray. Just as she turned, he slid the blade out of its sheath and the ensuing explosion knocked her and her supplies across the room.

**A/N:** Alright peeps. I have a complaint for a very few select group of you. If you're going to ask me to email you and explain something to you, YOU NEED TO LEAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS. Asking for an explanation is fine, I'm okay with that. The "email me and explain" on an anonymous review…NOT FINE. If you left me one of these reviews and you didn't get an answer back, please pm me or something and give me your email address so that I can answer your question(s).

Well, enuf of that… I did enjoy all the reviews (even the flames, I probably enjoyed them the most). Thank you for reviewing. Again, thanks to all of you for reading. Thank you so very much for sticking it out so far. And I'm sorry for leaving you with a cliffy (actually, I get a little sadistic pleasure out of doing it), but in just a week, you can be caught up, unless it's another cliffy. Take care and I hope each of you have a great week! -TK


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Youkai as far as Yokosuka Bay felt the wave as Tessaiga transformed, but Sesshoumaru took less than an instant to recover from the shock. Throwing down the blade, he whipped around the desk and knelt by Kagome's prone body. Sighing in relief when he registered a pulse, he had gathered her into his arms when Jaken ran into the room.

"Master, what the hell was that?" He was shocked at the dishabille of the room.

"Jaken, out of my way."

Jaken moved and Sesshoumaru was gone in a flash, taking Kagome with him. Deciding that the mess on the floor could wait, Jaken turned and ran after his master. "Wait for me!" He ran into the master suite in time to find Sesshoumaru gently brushing hair away from Kagome's face. "Is she going to be okay?"

Sesshoumaru did not look up from his inspection. "It appears so."

"What happened?" The green imp was extremely concerned. _'__Had that woman tried to hurt my master?'_

Kagome groaned and put a hand up to her forehead. "What happened? Was there an earthquake?" She started to sit up and Sesshoumaru put an arm around her back to help. As she blinked at him, she started connecting the pieces. "Did Tessaiga do that?"

"Stupid human! Tessaiga's been missing since InuYasha went through the well!" At Sesshoumaru's growl, Jaken re-evaluated what he'd just said. His beak dropped open before he screeched. "You had Tessaiga?!" He walked up to the bed and put his hands on his hips. "Do you know how long we looked for that blade after InuYasha disappeared?"

Kagome blinked and looked at Sesshoumaru. "Really? Did you want it that badly?"

Sesshoumaru had made the decision that Kagome was going to be fine. Standing, he turned towards the door. "I have my own abilities. But I did not want Tessaiga to fall outside of the hands of the family. When InuYasha disappeared, I suspected the worst. None of the remaining Inu-tachi knew anything about the sword's fate. After a search, I decided that Tessaiga had either gone back to father's grave, or it had gone with InuYasha. Father's grave was empty, so that left only one other choice."

"Did you marry me to get Tessaiga?" She had turned around and was dangling her feet off the side of the bed.

"No. If I had wanted the sword, I would have taken it from InuYasha."

"But he didn't have it."

"No, but he could have gotten it." He headed out the door. "I am going to go back to the study. Stay here until I determine why the sword reacted so dangerously." Jaken ran after him, and Kagome was not much further behind.

Peeking around the corner of the door, she watched as Sesshoumaru picked up the discarded sword and held it in his hands. The sword pulsed lightly before transforming into the black blade it had become towards the end of their battles. He held it in his hands, marveling at the strength and power it carried. Suddenly he turned and looked at her, golden eyes blazing with power and triumph. "I thought I told you to stay in our room. If the blade had reacted poorly with my jyaki, you could have been killed." Using his power to turn the sword back into the rusty blade, he nodded for her to enter.

"You always have Tenseiga." She walked over to him and gently touched the blade with the tip of a finger.

"It no longer yields any of its original power, remember?" He examined the scratches, wondering what the blade's detailed story was. At her nod, he pointed at the sword. "You ran with my foolish half-brother. Can you remember where these wounds came from?"

Kagome smiled. "Yes." She pointed to a large repaired crack near the hilt of the sword. "This is from when Goshinki and InuYasha fought. The blade was broken and Toutosai had to use one of InuYasha's fangs to make the repair. His Hanyou fang made the blade heavier and InuYasha spent a long time working with it just to be able to use it."

"InuYasha's fang?" Upon closer inspection, he could see the blending of the two fangs. "Did it tie InuYasha's power to the sword too?"

Kagome blinked. "Yes, it did." She pointed at another crack, further up the blade. "That's why InuYasha was able to fight Kanna's mirror demon even though the blade was severely damaged." She pointed to a series of scratches along the tip of the blade. "These are from when InuYasha used Tessaiga to try and pry open a stone door during one of our many adventures." Sesshoumaru touched a small spot on the end of the hilt. "Ah, he hit Shippou on the head with it and Shippou was wearing one of my hair clips. It scratched the hilt."

"Your hair clips were that strong?"

"I don't think so. Maybe it was a kitsune trick."

He pulled out an oiling cloth and carefully wiped down the blade, making the untransformed blade shine for the first time.

"Are you going to try and sharpen it?"

Sesshoumaru frowned at her. "No, but it does not need to have rust on it. A dull, chipped blade that has rust on it is dishonorable. The only thing I can do to improve it is to remove the rust. The chips and dull edge are part of the blade's life. To sharpen it and remove the chips would be to modify it. If it was modified in this form, the transformed form would also be changed." Looking at it critically, he placed it on the desk. Reaching for the sheath, he cleaned it carefully and finally put the blade back into the sheath. Standing, he headed back to the bedroom. "Come, I will show you Tenseiga's resting place."

The door to the bedroom was still open from when Kagome had snuck out and Sesshoumaru shook his head before walking over to a small wooden cabinet. It was very thin and long, and Kagome wondered how she had missed it. It was obviously a sword case and the fact that it sat in plain view was a disguise in itself. Sesshoumaru reached to the side and Kagome realized it had an intricate wooden lock. After moving blocks and releasing the lock, he slid the lid off. Reaching down inside, he gently placed Tessaiga onto two empty wooden holders. They accepted the sword and kept it from touching the bottom of the case. Then he reached over and picked up the only other sword in the case. Carefully putting the lid back, but not redoing the locks, he straightened. "Tenseiga." Handing the sword to her, he waited.

At first, she only looked at it in reverence. Suddenly she pulled the sword out and gazed upon its shiny blade. "But I thought it was broken." She remembered how Tessaiga became black. Tenseiga had a slightly green tint.

"It was. Toutosai fixed it with my fang."

Sesshoumaru watched cautiously as she reached out to touch it, but relaxed as she hesitated. "Is it tied to your power?"

He took the poisonous blade and sheathed it, placing it back into the case and engaging the lock. "Yes." He walked out of the room and started down the hall. "As is Tessaiga now."

Kagome stopped and stared at his retreating back. "How do you know?"

Sesshoumaru halted and turned to look at her with blazing angry eyes. "Have you forgotten that Tessaiga only worked because InuYasha was using it to protect a human he cared for?"

She was startled at his vehemence. "Did Myoga tell you?" He shook his head. "Then how did you find this out?"

"I watched from a distance until I had pieced together the puzzle. I had not expected the sword to be able to take on other characteristics and grow as InuYasha matured. I should have realized our father was very wise in his age."

"So why is the sword now tied to your power?"

He walked back up to her and gently grabbed her chin with those long claw-tipped fingers. Bending down, he gave her a kiss that curled her toes and made her think hard about her resolve. Releasing her, he stood straight. "I now protect a human too." Turning and heading back down the hall, he did not wait for Kagome.

Kagome put her hands on her cheeks. _'__My heart is pounding, and he has no reaction at all! Does this mean he cares for me as well? There's no way!'_ The smell of fish and vegetables suddenly reached her consciousness and her stomach growled. Hurrying down the hall, she saw that dinner was on the table. Taking a deep breath and trying not to look flustered, she entered the room and took her seat.

Dinner was a quiet affair and afterwards they both retired to the library to read. Sesshoumaru was finishing up an American business novel he had borrowed from the Texas firm and Kagome was still working through Inu no Taisho's diary.

The night was getting late when Kagome suddenly chuckled. Sesshoumaru looked up, curious as to the cause. She had a big grin on her face and was still immersed in the book. Suddenly she laughed very loudly and continued to do so until she was wiping at tears. Sesshoumaru had put down his book, even the pretense of indifference gone. She continued to laugh until she finished the entry. She then looked up into her husband's eyes and started laughing even harder. "You look like you're dying of curiosity." This caused her to start laughing again and Sesshoumaru was past irritated when she finally gained control of her senses.

"What was the meaning of that?" He glared and knew it had to involve some silly story of his childhood.

"Do you remember when your father took you with him to hunt down a monster squid demon?" She looked back down. "It says here that you were just shy of two hundred. That would make you about a teenager."

Sesshoumaru suddenly felt the need to escape, but he pushed back out of habit. "I have vague memories of that event, continue."

"Your father had finally captured the slippery demon after an intense battle. Just as he was getting ready to give the death blow, you suddenly wanted to be in on the kill."

Sesshoumaru had a vivid flashback to the incident and suddenly stood, wanting to be as far away as possible from this human woman who was apparently learning all of his secrets along with his father's.

"Even though he tried to warn you, you were standing in front of its tentacles and it sprayed you with ink." She started belly laughing. "The image of a green-faced and green-haired teenage Sesshoumaru is too funny. Please forgive me!" She dropped the book and looked at him. "I just have one question… exactly how long _did_ it take for you to get the green ink out of your silver hair?"

Her laughter followed his retreating form all the way down the hall. He wondered about the perverseness of a father who would ridicule him even from the grave.

**A/N:** So, did this chapter make up for all of the torture you had to endure waiting a week for the update? I also hope that this chapter answered some of the questions you had about the blade. For those of you who had questions, THANK YOU for leaving me emails! Again, thank you to each of you for reading this tale. Thank you also for those who review. The reviews are wonderful and I use them as rewards when I've finished my home improvement projects for the day. This week is painting and dry-walling again (a different part of the house) so the reviews will be especially sweet. Please each of you have a great week! –TK

PS, for those of you who read this on SingleSpark, the webdress has changed. It is now sesskag, you know the rest. In case you didn't know…the wonderful Winter has published her intentions of closing SS and highly recommends that we start moving everything to Dokuga (also dotcom). I have checked out the new site and am starting to move this story over, 10 chapters at a time. For now, I will post in all 3 places. All of the mods have worked very hard for many years on SS and I understand the decision to "retire." Dokuga is a new site, been open for only a month. It has some options that SS wasn't able to offer because there wasn't a support staff large enough to manage it. I hope you'll give the new site a chance, and don't give Winter a hard time about this decision. I'm sure she's lost sleep over it. We can best show our appreciation for all the work she's given over the years by supporting the new site that she recommends for our art. Also, if I've left any of the important players at SS out, please do not take offense. None was intended.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Chapter 46:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Their "honeymoon" period was to last longer than either of them expected. Both of them would get up in the morning and have breakfast. Sesshoumaru held true to his word and Kagome's preference for a traditional breakfast of fish, rice, miso and various pickles sat beside Sesshoumaru's western favorites of eggs, bacon and grits. He would read the newspaper until she arrived, then they would both eat. After breakfast, Sesshoumaru would leave for headquarters. If Kagome needed to go to the office, he would drop her off on the way. Otherwise, she would head down to the basement and work from her personal lab.

Although Kagome's supervisor had been unsettled at her working away from the office, he had granted her a trial period. That trial period had suddenly been lifted after a short session with her new husband. Without her knowledge, Sesshoumaru stopped by the office one morning and demanded to speak with her direct supervisor.

When Dr. Takimaku walked into the lobby, he saw the same man that caused all the commotion several months ago. Not looking forward to the upcoming meeting, he never the less walked up to him and met him with all respect. The first time he'd seen the man, Dr. Takimaku wasn't sure exactly why a computer repair technician would spend so much money on his clothing. However, looking at him now, he realized this man was not an ordinary technician. Opening the door to his private sanctuary, he hesitantly offered Mr. Shujin a chair and hurried around the desk to put substance between them.

Sesshoumaru stifled a snort. _'__Foolish man, if I was here to harm him, that piece of furniture would be no hindrance.' _He leaned forward and glared at Kagome's manager. "I am Seth Shujin, owner of Marussho Corporation. I own all the patents and industrial licenses to the VR equipment Dr. Higurashi Kagome uses to perform her tasks." He watched as the implications of this information sank into Dr. Takimaku's head. "I also happen to be her new husband." This caused eyes to widen and the Doctor's mouth to open slightly. "Dr. Higurashi has concerns because she has always been a proficient employee for this company and suddenly she is being put in a probationary trial. She has the same equipment at my residence that she uses here. The network is encrypted with a security system, levels above what you use. She is a hard worker and it has been very stressful for her to try and learn the complicated rules of being a high executive's wife and still complete her assignments. I have told her that I do not want her working, she had enough tasks without the added burden of a job she does not need to support herself. However, Kagome is driven by a need to help improve the world. She truly believes that her research can unlock the cures to diseases that currently are fatal." He suddenly leaned over, making Dr. Takimaku jump slightly. "Do not make me the villain in this plot. Do not make me have to choose between my wife's health and her happiness. I will choose her health. I believe that choice would create a great loss to the medical community. However, wearing her body out trying to perform both functions will result in the same loss."

"I…" Dr. Takimaku was taking quick notes and trying to figure out how to rearrange responsibilities to keep his trusted employee. "We will work with Dr. Higurashi."

Sesshoumaru stood and walked to the door. "See that you do." He was gone before Dr. Takimaku felt the sweat that was running down his face.

ssssssss

That night, Sesshoumaru walked into the house to the smell of…hamburgers. Curious, he followed his nose into the kitchen and was met with a sight that almost caused him to falter. Kagome was sitting on a bench, pattying out hamburger meat while his chef was humming a Chinese tune and turning a patty in a spicy smelling liquid.

Kagome suddenly looked up, feeling his jyaki enter the room. She dropped the patty and stood, rushing over to him only to stop mid-reach as she realized her hands were coated in greasy meat. "Hi! We're making spicy burgers." She turned back to the chef. "Daisuke, can Sesshoumaru-sama sit and watch?"

Daisuke was slightly startled by that request, but looking into his master's eyes, he shrugged. "It's his kitchen. He'll have to grab his own chair though. I'm busy and you are too."

Kagome laughed. "Come on, sit. We're celebrating!" Sesshoumaru snagged a barstool and sat a reasonable distance away from his unkempt wife and watched as she critically examined the patty before adding a small amount of meat and reshaping it. At Daisuke's snort, she looked up and blushed before putting the patty down. "I just wanted it to be the same size as the others. Now I'm going to make a small one for myself."

"What are we celebrating?" Sesshoumaru stood and walked over to the stove where a kettle of water always stayed heated. Opening a cabinet beside his head, he removed a tea cup and walked over to a small canister that sat on the other side of the stove. Opening a drawer, he removed a tea strainer and threw a spoonful of green tea leaves into it before dropping it into his cup and filling it from the pot. Both Kagome and Daisuke had frozen in their activities to stare at him. Suddenly Kagome started laughing and Daisuke went back to his cooking, turning red in an attempt not to follow. Sesshoumaru cocked his head and glared at his wife. "Explain."

She smiled. "You look so domestic doing that. I didn't know you even knew how."

"To make my own cup of tea?" He pulled the little chain attached to the strainer and after shaking out the excess water, lightly chucked the strainer into the sink.

"You look like a pro."

"Kagome, who do you think gets my tea at 3am when I am working late in the office and all of the staff have gone to bed."

She mumbled something and looked back down at the small patty she was forming.

"Did you just accuse this Sesshoumaru of waking my valued servants for something as inconsequential as tea?" He took a sip before looking at her again. "Who do you think took care of me while I was patrolling my estates back in the feudal period?" She opened her mouth but he cut her off. "Did you think Jaken or Rin took care of me? Maybe Ah-Un?" He laughed bitterly. "Did you ever see Jaken in the middle of a fight?" He put a finger lightly to his chin. "I suppose you did, since you often cowered behind the same boulders and trees as that imp. Jaken is an expert at business and I am very grateful for the wisdom he brings to his current position. But this Sesshoumaru took care of his followers, not the other way around."

Kagome bowed her head. "I guess I never really thought about it."

"Who took care of you?" He gazed at her over the rim of his cup.

She thought for a minute. "I guess we all took care of each other."

Neither of them noticed that Daisuke had completely abandoned his cooking to stare slack-jawed at the two people sitting at the island, talking about an era that he barely remembered, as if she had been there to witness it. _No way! That's impossible! She's only a human._

Sesshoumaru leaned forward and touched Kagome's forehead, lightly moving her bangs so that he could see her eyes. "That was the Inu-tachi's greatest strength. Each of you took care of the others. No one single member was more important than the others and when trouble arose, you banded together…ignoring your weaknesses and frailties to perform amazing feats."

Suddenly they noticed the smell of smoke and turned to look at Daisuke. The patties behind him were engulfed in flames and he stood staring at them, grease dripping off the end of the spatula in his hand. Kagome stood and ran over to the stove, pushing the skillet off of the eye and putting a lid on it to contain the flames. Sesshoumaru, realizing why his chef was frozen, shook the man's shoulders until he was again participating in the conversation.

"Ah, but, how, who, wha…" He pointed at Kagome. "There's no way. She's just a silly little ningen."

Kagome could feel her temper rise, but decided to let Sesshoumaru handle the situation as he saw fit. When he turned to look at her, it was with a highly ironic grin. "Well wife, it will be hard to hide your identity after this."

Suddenly Daisuke looked real hard at her and grabbed Sesshoumaru's arms. "She's the Shikon no Miko. The one that defeated Naraku and then disappeared. Is that true?" At Sesshoumaru's slow nod, he let go and rushed around the island to fall at her feet. "It's such an honor to meet you. I thought I would never be afforded that privilege."

Kagome was shocked and very uncomfortable. "Please, I'm no one special. Daisuke, you met me this afternoon when I came in and asked if we had any hamburger meat. It was really nice of you to grind up all those rib-eyes to make the meat. I didn't know it was going to be so much work."

Sesshoumaru's eyes flew wide at that. "What?"

Daisuke, who had started to stand, suddenly fell back on the floor. Sesshoumaru-sama would not have been the wiser; but they carried no inferior meat in this kitchen and the only way to get hamburger was to grind it.

As Sesshoumaru looked back over at the still smoking pan, the prostrate chef and his completely clueless wife, he sighed. "Daisuke, dinner had better live up to my expectations." Picking up his glass, he headed out of the room. "I am going to the dojo."

ssssssss

Daisuke stood up and dusted himself off. Looking at Kagome, he came to an important decision, one that was counterintuitive to everything he'd ever been taught. "Do you really want to be treated as a normal human being? You are honorable and should be afforded all the rights and privileges that come with that." He would give her the choice.

Kagome looked at him for a moment, wanting to word everything properly. "I was born here, in this era, with no aspirations to be anything more than the granddaughter of a slightly unbalanced shrine priest. I was a normal high school student, having just turned fifteen, when fate made other plans. Through no fault of my own, I ended up in the past. I released InuYasha from his spell and I broke the Shikon jewel. Because of that, I felt obligated to stay and put things right again. I've seen things that no human alive has witnessed. I've killed creatures that I could never properly describe. The journey was filled with death, fear, tragedy, adventure, friendship and happiness. And when it was all over, I came back to my time hoping to find love." She looked up at him. "All I want is to be a normal human being. However, I realize this is beyond the scope of my life. So, what I really want is to be treated like a normal human being. I don't want to be worshipped as some strange goddess. I don't want to be revered as a hero. And I don't want to be waited on like the pampered mistress of a mighty feudal lord. I just want to be myself. I want to take baths by myself. I want to dig in the gardens with my own hands, and sweat as I work. I want to sit in your kitchen and have you explain why Sesshoumaru-sama just stomped out of here after finding out about the hamburger meat."

Daisuke blinked. He hadn't expected a speech, but he was glad to know he had not dishonored himself by treating her as a normal human. "Rib-eye steak is the best piece of meat on the cow and is also the most expensive. The master prefers Wagyu beef from Kobe."

Kagome remembered a coworker of hers bragging that her boyfriend had taken her for Kobe steaks one weekend, a small one costing almost 20,000 yen. "How much did we use?"

"I ground two kilogram of it and just burned half of that."

Kagome thought she might pass out. Figuring the numbers up in her head, she realized that they had wasted over 150,000 yen worth of meat, more than she made at her job in a week. "He should have killed us!" Kagome stood to leave, but Daisuke couldn't let her go with that misconception.

"Please stop. We do not buy retail steaks at restaurants. The master has close friends in the butcher business in Kobe and he pays wholesale. We buy it a flank at a time. He eats a lot of meat, being a dog demon. I think we paid 1400yen/kg for the last flank we purchased, but not all of that is meat. It's about ten times more than he pays for it retail when he visits America. The rib-eye portion is the best part of the beef, so we probably just wasted 5000yen worth of meat."

Straightening her shoulders, Kagome felt a _little_ better, but felt more resolve than anything. "Well, let's make these the best damned hamburgers he's ever going to eat."

**A/N:** Exchange rate was about 120 Yen to 1 US Dollar when I wrote this chapter. Thank you most kindly for the awesome reviews last week! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry it was posted so late tonight. I was pulling a Peter Gabriel (Digging in the Dirt) and didn't realize how late it was until it became too dark to see. I hope each of you have a great week! -TK


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Straightening a report he was working on, Sesshoumaru took a second to relax. Thinking back on the most expensive hamburger dinner he had ever eaten, he had to chuckle. The spices the two co-conspirators used had pulled unique flavors out of the meat and he ruefully admitted, to Kagome's delight, that they were indeed the best hamburgers he had consumed. Kagome's relief and subsequent excitement as she told him about being able to work from home was worth any price he had to pay. He was glad for memories like that because business had suddenly gotten hectic and he was spending most of his time in the office. He had not had a proper meal with his wife in weeks, and there was a part of him that was glad for this. Despite his resolve to harden his heart against her, she was beginning to mean more to him than he wanted. As his door opened, he looked up to see Jaken enter with a stack of papers, their lawyer in tow. "Jacque, please sit." Sesshoumaru stood and reached a hand across the table to the woman that was now standing in front of him. "Ms. Kenka Toran." He shook her hand and then gestured towards the other chair. "An honor, as always."

She continued to stand before him before suddenly flicking her long black hair behind her shoulder. Her brilliant ice-blue eyes glimmered a color closer to her natural hair color than the disguise she used. "Cut the bullshit Seth. As your lawyer, it's important that I am apprised of important events in your life." She placed both hands on his desk, leaning forward in a very intimidating manner. Most men were cowed by the move, but Sesshoumaru sat there with a supremely bored expression on his face. "Like your marriage for example."

He steepled his fingers and rested his chin on them. "Do I now need to petition my retained law association in order to have a personal life?"

"Yes!" She smacked his desk. "Especially if it involves a stupid human!"

Jaken looked over and sighed in relief when he saw that the door to the office was firmly closed. As long as the door was closed, anything discussed would stay in the room; several privacy spells ensured that.

Sesshoumaru growled. "Damare! (be quiet!) Neko, you should remember that your life belongs to this Sesshoumaru. I require no permissions or notices to live my life in the manner that suits me. Sit."

Toran sighed and did as he requested. "She has married you simply for your money. Did you marry her simply for her body?" She darted a tongue out to lick the corner of her lip. "I sincerely hope so. I would hate for the Great Western Lord to have been brought low by a quickly deteriorating human carcass."

Sesshoumaru flicked a finger, negligently putting a small slice into her cheek. She raised a hand to touch it and glared at him. "It will heal quickly. That was the only warning you get. You and your family owe their existence to my generosity. Do not feel you are worthy of voicing any opinion about who I do or do not include in my private life."

She hissed but remained silent, her eyes holding an anger that she felt but could not act upon. She did owe her clan's life to him. Despite a misinformed grudge the Panther Demon tribe had against the Inutaisho Clan, he had used calm reasoning to defeat their selfish lord and bring their souls back to their bodies when their lord had taken them in an attempt to become more powerful.

Sesshoumaru stood and walked to the closest window, turning to glare at his very effective lawyer. They had been enemies for many decades and friends for the last five of the most recent centuries. The light shone on her, emphasizing a beautiful body that she had used to entice many men over the years. She looked back at a man outlined in silver, the light around him making his face shadowed and his expression almost indiscernible. "My wife is of no concern to this organization. The two are separate entities. She is a doctor, a creature devoted to a cause that will benefit both humans and youkai." At her raised eyebrow, he continued. "She searches genome structure for the patterns of mutations that cause cancer." Toran crossed a leg and wondered what he was thinking. "Do you still reserve judgment for a human who devotes her very short life to such a worthy cause?" At her negative motion, he sat back down behind his desk. "What business brings you to my office, besides an undeserved upbraiding for seeking my own happiness?"

She laughed, her voice full of disbelief. "You, seeking happiness. Don't make me laugh." She pursed her lips. "Oh, too late. Really Sesshoumaru-sama, that is beyond my ability to believe." Not giving him an opportunity to respond, she opened her briefcase and took out a stack of legal documents. "We need to discuss our strategy in defending ourselves against this latest takeover attempt. I hope your wife likes sleeping alone because you are going to be living and breathing this for the next few weeks."

Sesshoumaru brushed away errant thoughts about the woman who shared his bed but not her body and focused on the documents in his lawyer's hand. "This is what I pay you a generous salary for, Toran-san. Present me with the facts and we will build a strategy together."

ssssssss

Kagome was taking a break from her busy schedule. Deciding that she needed some human female company, she asked Michael to take her to visit Lucy. Since Sesshoumaru's schedule had been so unpredictable, he had started driving himself and Michael had been given the charge of chauffeuring Kagome. She rarely left the sanctuary of her home office so he was excited about the opportunity to vacate the mansion for a few hours. On the way, they talked about upcoming movies they wanted to see and anything else that suited their fancy. Being dropped off at the coffee shop garnered several glances; but when she smiled and waved, everyone assumed she was just a servant of a fancy household and went back to their business. Happy that no one treated her any differently than normal, she opened the door and entered the shop.

Lucy looked up from one of the displays when the bell rang. It had been a slow afternoon and she was taking advantage of the lull to restock and setup a new product line she had received. Seeing her friend, she straightened up and decided it was as good of a time to take a break as any. "Hi Kagome!"

"Konnichi wa!" Kagome walked over and watched as her friend dusted off a counter and walked behind it to make their drinks.

Lucy scowled at her. "It's been a while. Do you still want to try that Pecan Pie I was telling you about?"

"Sure! I'm sorry, I've been working from home. I need an excuse to come visit now." Kagome looked around at the changes. "I like what you did, you're carrying tisanes now too huh?" She picked up a canister and sniffed it before putting it back.

"Yeah, and rooibos."

Kagome smiled. "Rooibos is a type of tisane. A tisane is anything herbal made from something other than the tea plant."

"Oh. They talk about it like it's different." Here, do you have time to talk?" She led the way to a table.

"Of course, you're the only reason I'm here!" Kagome watched her friend's reaction lighten at that. After they got comfortable, she took a tentative sip of this new drink and had to agree that it was indeed very good. Telling Lucy she approved, she smiled and took another sip. "So, what's wrong?"

Lucy looked up from her drink. "Nothing's wrong."

Kagome set her mug down and folded her hands across the table before leaning forward. "As Seth tells me, Lying begets sorrow, or some such nonsense."

Lucy looked at the table. "I miss Logan. That's all. He's been really busy with this new movie and when we do actually get together, we usually fall asleep on the couch watching some TV show." She leaned over very closely. "And I'm frustrated as hell. I really do love him, but I don't think I'm supposed to go this long in a drought."

Kagome chuckled, but it wasn't full of mirth. "I understand. Seth and I have been missing each other too. He has something going on at work that he hasn't shared with me and he comes home exhausted. Sometimes he doesn't even make it to dinner, and that man rarely misses a meal. I'm worried about him; but like Logan, I know he's just doing what needs to be done."

They both sipped their drinks, living in their own thoughts.

ssssssss

Sesshoumaru looked up from their meeting when Jaken's stomach grumbled. Glancing at his watch, he noticed it was well after lunch. "I believe it is time for a break. Any preferences for lunch?"

Toran recommended a small sushi shop and they walked the two blocks, enjoying the sunny day. While Jacque and Ms. Kenka argued about some inconsequential matter, Sesshoumaru dialed a number on his phone and talked with someone. After their meal, they walked outside and were greeted by Michael.

"Hi boss, need a lift?"

Sesshoumaru held the door for Toran and Jacque and then settled himself in his seat. Crossing one leg negligently over the other, he stared disinterestedly out the window. Toran thought he looked like a poster boy for bad thoughts, but was somewhat glad he wasn't hers to deal with. When Michael pulled up outside of a coffee shop, Jaken was the only one to fuss.

"You and your coffee fixation. Why can't you be happy with tea? We stock everything; but every time we're around here, we have to stop in." He rolled his eyes before moving his crotchety self out of the vehicle.

ssssssss

Lucy and Kagome looked up as the bell dinged. Their reactions going in opposite directions. Lucy stood and walked over to the counter, anger in every angle of her face. Kagome stayed in her seat, confusion etched in her eyes; but the smile still there.

Walking up to the counter, Sesshoumaru gave Lucy a speaking glance that warned her that any outburst would not be tolerated. She glared at him as she took his order, Jacques' order and the gorgeous bombshell that was standing too close to her friend's husband. As they waited for their drinks, the three of them stood and talked, neither him nor Jacque showing any sign of noticing Kagome in the corner. As Lucy handed the skim milk latte to the 'evil bitch' who had dared to put her hand on Seth's shoulder, Seth turned and walked towards his wife.

Kagome had quit watching, not sure what she was seeing. The woman was either a business acquaintance or her husband was stepping out on her. If he was, she couldn't blame him. She wasn't giving him any sex and he was a hot-blooded male. Deciding this was a discussion better left for the privacy of their rooms, she sighed and looked out the window. She realized that this view was no better when the reflection in the window showed the three of them heading towards another table. Her eyes widened as she saw his reflection suddenly veer towards her spot. She looked up into dark golden eyes.

"Excuse me, but may we sit here?" She started to stand, but he shook his head. "With you."

She felt a thousand years younger as she nodded her head and watched as he pulled another chair up to the table for the stranger to sit in. Jacque pulled his own chair up and grunted as he found a comfortable spot.

Toran glared at Sesshoumaru and then looked at the woman. "Do I know you?" She curled sharp nails around her mug, giving Kagome the impression the woman would like to see those sharp claws sunk into her neck. Kagome inspected her closely before her husband set his mug on the table with a loud click.

"You have both been introduced." He glared at Jacque to keep his mouth closed and Jaken resigned himself to a tense meeting not of his liking. Reaching forward, Sesshoumaru snagged Kagome's hand, turning it over to place a kiss on her palm. He smirked when she blushed but did not release her hand. "This is the same woman that we had a discussion about this morning." He had the satisfaction of seeing Toran's eyes widen in surprise before they tightened down in a glare.

"I have never met this woman." She set her mug down and glared at her client.

Before Sesshoumaru could respond, Kagome suddenly yanked on his hand, standing and pointing across the table at the woman. "Oh my gosh, what the hell are you doing here?" She turned to Sesshoumaru. "Seth-kun, how could you even associate with…"

Before she could continue, Sesshoumaru reached over and pulled her close, silencing her with his mouth. When he had sufficiently calmed her down, given that the neko youkai beside him was about to explode, he gently released her mouth. "Please, sit."

Jaken had thrown his hands up in surprise at Kagome's reaction and quietly stood to get napkins to wipe up his spilled tea. They had garnered enough attention without him adding to it. Two of the three remaining members of the table sat glaring at each other while the third merely crossed his hands and waited for the ensuing chaos.

"Who are you to Seth-kun?" Kagome looked at the tall slender lady in confusion. Her suit showed all of her womanly assets to their advantage.

The woman stared back at Kagome and crossed her legs, causing her skirt to ride higher. "What do you think?"

Kagome, tired of playing games, looked at her husband. "The last time I saw this woman, she was trying to kill you. What changed?" She knew he would never stoop so low as to sleep with an inferior being, which sadly also plainly left herself out of the picture.

"Apparently our grudge with each other was eliminated by your kindness."

Her eyes opened widely and she laughed. Quietly she recounted. "I remember now. She told InuYasha to tell you that there was no longer any ill-blood between the Panther Tribe and the Inutaisho clan. It was almost as if she didn't know that you and InuYasha never willingly spoke." She took a sip of her quickly cooling drink. "I thought that was almost as funny as seeing Jacque with a ring of daisies on his head."

The toad demon had chosen to return at that moment and he squawked in dismay before wiping up his tea and again retreating from the battle.

Toran stared at the woman in confusion. Finally, she turned to Sesshoumaru. "How?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "There is more to life, Horatio."

She glared at him. "Don't give me that Shakespeare bullshit. I want to understand."

Sesshoumaru glared back. "Like I said earlier, she is none of your business. Since it was important to you, I have placed you in the inner circle. It is now your job to keep her out of everyone else's business."

"Well, I _am_ your professional bloodsucker." She looked back at the woman that shouldn't exist. "Looks like I'll earn my pay with this one."

Kagome smiled, thinking that law had been the perfect field for a woman who enjoyed lengthy pontifications. She sat in peaceful silence enjoying time with her husband when he suddenly stood. She looked up at him. "Will you be home for dinner?"

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Unfortunately, no. We are in delicate negotiations with…"

"A foolish little firm that thinks it can take us on." Toran glared out the window.

"As she says. The battle should be quick and deadly to the marauders."

Kagome gently placed a finger on the back of his hand, tracing invisible marks that she had only seen in the past. "Well, you come honestly by your name. Have fun." She waved as they walked out of the shop and Michael drove them back to the office.

Kagome sat and enjoyed the rest of her visit with Lucy while they waited for Michael to return and take her home.

ssssssss

On the ride back, Sesshoumaru glared at his retainer. They both knew he thought the toad had again shown his cowardice, but Toran smoothed over the tension. Leaning up against the tall man, she chuckled. "Damn Sesshy…oumaru, you do have a way of picking women."

He turned to look at her. "Meaning?"

"Kagome is one in a million. I'll see that she's protected." Remembering how Kagome had eased all tensions between the two warring factions with very little blood loss, her opinion of the silly human increased significantly.

"Thank you."

"Mmmm. Anything for the man who pays me to enjoy what I do most, fight." She straightened and looked out the window, plotting ways to destroy the company that had thought highly enough of itself to try a coup.

**A/N:** Thank you for another week of really wonderful reviews! Thank you also to all of you who have given reader votes to this story on the Dokuga website. I'm very glad that you feel it is a well written story. In case you don't remember Toran, you might want to revisit the episode "The Plot of the Panther Devas." You get this update early because I'm off of work today and the rest of my sunlight hours is going to be spent digging weeds out of my garden. Yes, I've been working on it all week. I'm just glad I didn't make it any bigger than it is. I hope everyone has a supremely great week! Until next week - TK


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

While Sesshoumaru was battling with business demons, Kagome was dealing with monsters of her own. First, her brother and his wife came back from their honeymoon. Hitomi wanted to get together and go shopping, so Kagome cut an afternoon out of her schedule and agreed. Little did she know that Hitomi was going to use the outing to discuss all the intimate details of married life. She expected Kagome to add her tales, but Kagome was way outclassed by her sister-in-law. Finally she told Hitomi that because of her husband's high status in the business community, she couldn't do or say anything that would dishonor his name. Hitomi believed her excuse and they spent the rest of the afternoon in shopper's paradise. Souta asked her if she'd seen their mom, and Kagome said she hadn't. They called the shrine and grandpa told them that her mom was having that Frenchie over for dinner tomorrow and all of them had better be there. When Kagome told him that Seth could not attend, he bah'd and hung up on her. Hugging both Souta and Hitomi, she told them she'd see them for dinner tomorrow night. They went on their merry way and she went to the library to figure out how best to beg her husband to join them for dinner.

When Sesshoumaru walked into the house that night, he could feel the tension. He had been lord and master of his house for half a millennia and knew exactly where the tension came from. With the exception of a couple of battles during the Shogunate period and a bombing run during WWII in which the American planes dropped bombs a little too close, this Sesshoumaru's household had remained in relative peace. Not so since the little miko had become its mistress. Even though his staff tried their best to treat her like one of them, they all knew she was their master's wife and therefore their master in his absence. They cued off of her moods. But even beyond that, they picked up her troubled aura. Furthermore, the increased powers she created in her distress instinctively put even the strongest demons in his employ on edge.

He had his jacket slung over one shoulder and was working on loosening his tie when Kagome peeked her head around the corner of the library door. She thought he looked like every shoujo lover's dream man. The thought of that made her blush and she mumbled something about needing to talk with him.

Wondering why he had to be interested in a woman who was the antithesis of a normal human, he hung his jacket up in the hall and detoured through the kitchen for a cup of tea, preparing himself for an evening of frustration. When he walked into the room, he was not surprised to find his wife pacing the length of the floor. Having had enough of everything today, he decided to take charge. "Woman, you will tell this Sesshoumaru what has you bothered." At his command, she looked up with big tears in her eyes. Sesshoumaru involuntarily backed up and hit the bookcase. Realizing he was acting like a coward, _'__and this Sesshoumaru NEVER shows fear'_, he straightened his shoulders and walked over to his wife, pulling her down to sit on the couch next to him. "Tell me what has you upset."

Kagome wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and hid her head in his shoulder. "My mother is having a surprise dinner tomorrow and we've both been invited."

"It must not be much of a surprise if you know about it beforehand." He laid a hand on her hair and had to stifle the urge to run his fingers through it. She was too much temptation like this and he had been working very hard to keep the distance between them.

"But jiji-chan got upset when I told him you were busy at work and could not be there. He hung up on me. He's never hung up on me before." She continued to look down at her hands.

He slowly moved a clawed finger under her chin and raised her face to look at him. For the first time since she met him in the present time, he was completely transformed into his normal self, magenta stripes on both cheeks and the crescent moon of his birthright on his forehead. "You answered for me without asking?"

He looked extremely pissed off and she widened her eyes. "Yes." She continued to stare at him, thinking that his marks really did make him look dangerous. "I've been nothing but a burden since we got married. And I know you're really busy with the recent threat to the company. I didn't want you to have to feel obligated." She reached up and gently traced the stripe across his left cheek. "But I would have been honored if you could have been there."

He closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her hands as much as she was enjoying the feel of his skin. He tensed and opened eyes to watch her. "What time?"

She blinked, focusing on his deep gold eyes. "Seven thirty."

He suddenly stood and walked from the room. As he reached the door, he stopped. "I will meet you there." Then he was gone.

Kagome sighed and glanced at the clock. It was not even ten yet. Resigned to another lonely night in the big bed, she picked the journal back up. Inu no Taisho was having a problem with a small uprising led by a demon named Shishinki. Frowning, Kagome read further. "There is a rumor that this youkai had powers of the afterlife. If I can defeat this demon, I can take these abilities for my own. My son has become a ruthless warrior and I worry about him losing touch of his kind side even when he is not at war. If I can obtain the ability, I will incorporate these life-giving skills into a sword designed only for him." _'__Tenseiga!_ _I will tell him about this tonight! His father didn't just leave him a useless sword so that he could tame it for InuYasha. He deliberately had it made for him to help him grow!'_ Deciding to head on up to bed and wait for her husband, she marked her place and put the book back on the table.

When Sesshoumaru walked into the bedroom and saw Kagome propped up against the pillows he almost turned tail and retreated. The instinctive knowledge that she was asleep was the only thing that kept him in the room. Walking closer, listening intently for her breathing to change, he gazed upon her fair face. She looked so young and vulnerable, he had a hard time reconciling her physical humanness with her warrior priestess history. There was a side of him that wanted badly to rut with this woman, to show his bestial side with her. That was the main reason he refused to touch her, to even pretend that they had a normal married relationship. Turning away, he headed into the closet to retrieve tomorrow's clothing. It was better for him to sleep in the office until these untamed feelings of his were again chained and fettered.

ssssssss

The next day everyone met at the shrine for dinner. Kagome arrived alone and went on into the house knowing that Sesshoumaru always kept his word. She closed the door and knelt to take off her shoes, yelling "Tadaima" as she did so. She took a second to wonder if she should face the shoes in or out, and finally decided since this was her family home, she could somewhat face them in. Laughing at her own silliness, she was surprised to find the door suddenly opened and long slim legs incased in black pants walking into view.

"Oh-hai-oh."

She looked up and saw a very thin, very foreign man standing there. "Hello." She straightened and held out a hand.

"Oh, you speak English too?" He looked extremely nervous.

She smiled again. "Yes, but not French, sorry."

"Ah, that's okay." He took his shoes off and stepped up to walk into the house.

She stopped him. "After 4pm, the proper phrase is Konbanwa."

"Kohn, bahn, wah?" He looked at her with hope.

"Exactly!" She suddenly leaned close. "What's mom cooking for dinner?"

Sesshoumaru opened the door to see his wife leaning on the arm of a strange man. But more importantly, she was laughing, her eyes sparkling in joy. Deciding to reserve judgment until he had more information, he quietly knelt down and undid his shoes, turning them to face out. He noticed one of Kagome's was facing in and the other was facing out. He wanted to smile at what he knew was her conscientious effort to try and please both her family and her husband. Straightening both shoes to face in, he stood and noticed his wife was giving him the same smile as the stranger. A deeply primeval part of him was calmed with the knowledge that she was genuinely happy and that her smile was universal, not for a specific person.

She walked back over to him and took his hand. "Welcome husband." Surprised by how good that felt to say, she blushed and pulled him inside the house.

He sniffed and wondered exactly what type of Italian they were having. "What is your mother cooking for dinner?"

Kagome smiled. Mr. Renault said it was something called "ra-vii-ou-lii"

"Ah." He casually slung an arm around her shoulder and led her into the living room. Souta and Hitomi were sharing the couch with Grandpa while Kagome's mother and Mr. Renault were sharing the love seat. Looking over at the overstuffed chair, Sesshoumaru walked over and sat down, pulling Kagome into his lap. He ignored her squeak of surprise and whispered at her to behave. Souta turned four shades of red as Hitomi got that star-dazed look in her eyes again and Mrs. Higurashi just chuckled to herself before squeezing Jean Pierre's hand.

They all sat and had companionable conversation. When a buzzer went off in the kitchen, Kagome's mom stood up and Kagome took that as an excuse to escape. Standing up, she thanked Seth for letting her sit on his lap. His muttered acceptance of her thanks was caught by all and he watched her walk into the kitchen, stopping only when Grandpa glared at him. Raising his eyes, he acknowledged a throwing of the gauntlet and accepted it for what it was, an old man trying to protect his granddaughter.

Dinner was served with little fuss, everyone taking dishes and passing them down. The ravioli was very tasty, it was stuffed with tender ground pork with a pinch of shitake to add flavor. The tomato cream sauce had a hint of oregano and small basil leaves were laid on the top of each serving for visual accent and flavor. There was a tomato, olive and onion salad to compliment and Mrs. Higurashi had stopped at the local bakery for a baguette.

After the main meal, cheese and fruit were brought out. It was a little different than their typical dinner, but a nice desert wine was poured and they all sat in companionable moods, talking about whatever subjects came to mind. Quietly Mrs. Higurashi stood and addressed her family. "Everyone knows that I don't normally throw parties without a reason."

Kagome laughed and Souta nodded his head vigorously.

"Well, this dinner is no different. Jean Pierre and I ran off last week and got married in Hawaii."

"What?"

"Where?"

"Why?" Everyone turned to glare at jiji-chan. He laughed nervously but squared his shoulders. "It's not like she needed to marry the man to keep seeing him. I gave her plenty of privacy."

"Except for when you…" Mrs. Higurashi…Renault stopped mid-sentence and turned bright red.

"ah ha ha" Grandpa raised a glass to salute his daughter's embarrassment.

Hitomi suddenly stood and put her hands on her hips. "Mama-san, does this mean you're pregnant like we are?"

Sesshoumaru slanted a curious look at his wife, Kagome raised her hands and waved them madly in denial, Grandpa dropped the piece of apple he'd had in his mouth and Mrs. Renault's jaw dropped far enough open to see the back two molars had silver fillings.

However, it was Souta who had the most violent reaction. He had just taken a big sip of wine and spewed it across the table, coating Sesshoumaru in a fine mist of sticky alcohol. Souta stood and turned to his wife. "Hitomi! Usually when you share news like this, you tell THE HUSBAND first!"

She giggled and curled hair around her finger in a nervous gesture. "…Surprise?!" Souta grabbed his wife's hand and yanked her out of the room. She grabbed the doorframe long enough to peek her head back in. "Excuse us please!" was yelped as he yanked her off her feet and carried her away.

The five of them heard the outside door slam and Souta's voice fading in the distance as he yammered at her on their way to privacy. Not sure if they'd be back, Kagome looked over at her mom. "Well, congratulations!"

Mr. Renault continued to look at his new wife, a smirky smile on his face. "Yes dear, congratulations, you're going to be the newest married grandmother on the block!"

Kagome started waving her hands again. "That's not what I meant! I'm really happy for both of you." The silence from her left suddenly caught up with her and she turned to look at her husband. He was still covered with sweet wine, still frozen solid, and fuming mad. "Uh, Seth…" When he didn't answer, she reached over with her finger and gently ran it down his cheek. Before she could take that finger to her mouth, he snaked a hand out and grabbed her hand.

"Do not" he continued to stare ahead "touch me."

Kagome started getting angry. "Fine, stupid dog! Clean your own damn self off!" After picking up a napkin and throwing it at him, she stood and started clearing plates.

Both of the Renaults, surprised at her strange name for him, looked on in surprise when Seth picked up the napkin and wiped off his face before standing. Bowing to his hosts, he thanked them very formally for dinner before explaining that they would be leaving now. As Kagome came back into the room, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the house, stopping only long enough to grab their shoes and shove them on their feet.

The Renaults followed them to the door. As Jean Pierre saw them walking towards the stairs, Kagome being dragged behind the taller man, he blinked. Then he looked over at the big tree in the yard and saw Souta and Hitomi embracing in a way that was more than friendly. Looking at his new wife, he smiled when she blushed. Brushing a hand up her cheek, he ran his fingers around one ear and down her neck. Pulling her close, he kissed her hard. "You didn't tell me your family was so violent, ma cherie."

She kissed him back, returning equal to what he gave before pushing him away and turning to go back in the house. "Frankly, you didn't ask."

He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Honey, I'm not Chinese and my name's not Frank Lee. I go by Jean Pierre, if you don't remember. It's what you called out over and over last night."

She blushed but didn't otherwise respond. Walking back into the dining room, she scowled at Jiji as she caught him salting his apple. But his look silenced any admonishment she could think of. The old man was quirky, but he wasn't deaf. If the Renaults wanted peace about their not so quiet private lives, she would have to compromise a little on his sodium intake. Smiling evilly, she reached over and grabbed her new husband by the arm. "Jean!" He hissed in pleasure as she kissed him. Grandpa snorted in disgust and stood up to leave. When he left, she smiled and touched Jean's face. "How long has it been since I told you I loved you?"

He smiled and pinched her butt. "What time is it now?"

She looked at her watch. "Eight fifty."

"Ah my minx, that means it's been four hours and thirty three minutes." He winked at her before leaning over and breathing in her ear. "I remember it to the exact moment, it was the third time we made love in our bed as an official married couple." He ran his hand down her back and cupped her ass.

"Heh. Stop it you pervert!"

"Never. You married me, you're stuck with me." He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.

Grandpa chose that moment to reappear. "Get a room!" He snagged the plate of apples and the saltshaker before walking back out.

She shakily laughed. "I am so lucky to have found a man who is willing to live in his wife's house, with her crazy father-in-law."

He hugged her tight, tucking her head next to his heart. "I understand family. We will live here and take care of Grandpa Higurashi. After his death, we will figure out our place in the world. But until then, I am happy to embarrass the old man with our loud passionate noises." He let her go so that they could both clean up the dishes. "It was very convenient of your children to leave before the dishes were done."

She laughed. "They are usually not so ill-behaved. I will attribute it to young love."

"Does that mean we can leave the dishes too?"

"Only if you want to deal with the caked-on food tomorrow."

He suddenly picked her up and headed towards the back of the house. "Mmmm, my favorite chore. Come on grandma, let's see if you're as sexy now as when you were just a mother. He passed Grandpa sitting on the couch. "Old man, we're going to take you up on your advice."

"Jean!" She smacked him on the chest before burying her head to avoid the glare coming from her father-in-law.

Grandpa Higurashi waited until he heard the door close and then stood and walked out of the house. Looking up at the stars, he sighed. "Son, you married a very wonderful woman. She raised two mostly well-behaved children. One married a ditz and the other married a powerful man who looks just like a demon under certain lights. Now she has found a man who loves her and takes good care of both of us. I hope you will be happy for them." As a shooting star streaked across the sky, he nodded. "I thought that would be your response." Turning and heading back inside, he smiled. All was again right in his world.

**A/N:** Well, someone had to be getting lucky, it sure hasn't been Kagome and Sesshoumaru. Thank you for wonderful reviews this week, and for enjoying this story. I hope each of you had a great week last week and have a great week this week! I'm going to rest and get over this blasted head cold that was not made better by riding all the water rides at the park yesterday. But what can you say? It's technically supposed to be warm this time of year and who can resist a water ride? Until next week – TK.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Kagome's world wasn't as pleasant as Grandpa's. As Sesshoumaru reached the car, he yanked her arm as he stooped to get in the door. Pulling her in after him, he grunted as she landed in his lap. Michael closed the door and whistled under his breath as he walked around to the driver's side. Not surprised to find the privacy window up, he started the car and headed back home.

Sesshoumaru was furious. The logical side of his brain knew that Souta had not soaked him with wine on purpose, but the more animalistic side was riled up by a mere human disrespecting this Sesshoumaru by not only spilling something on him, but by spiting wine that _had been in that lowly human's mouth_! He had looked at his in-name-only wife as she had started to taste the wine from off of his skin and another feeling kicked in. He knew that he did not see Kagome as only a normal human, but as a potential something further. The knowledge that he regarded her as above humans was less disturbing than the acknowledgement that if she was to ever reverse her decision about their intimate relationship, he would keep her in their bed until his seven hundred year sexual drought was assuaged.

Kagome was panicky in her efforts to get out of his lap. She knew he was angry and she knew that he did not like to lower himself to be touched by dirty half-breeds and humans. In the process of trying to get off of him, she twice accidentally placed her hands on parts of his body that made him grunt in displeasure. As he grunted angrily at her a second time, she reflexively squeezed, causing a sound more like a whimper to come out in response. She blushed a darker red as she realized what she'd been fondling and put her hands against his chest with the intentions of pushing herself off onto the floor just to relieve him of her presence. She was not expecting him to wrap his strong arms around her and squeeze her tight against his body.

"Do not move." He growled in her ear, a clear warning that he was on the last fringes of sanity.

Kagome froze, understanding that if Sesshoumaru lost his temper, the car and two of its occupants would be destroyed in the process. She stayed that way, right hip digging into his groin, hands pinned between their bodies. They were almost home when the imp she swore she was possessed by took control. His face was still covered in the sweet golden wine that had been served with dessert and the syrupy substance had made little droplets over his face and neck. As she watched the one on his right cheekbone glimmer in the lights they passed, she suddenly felt an overwhelming need to taste it. Leaning forward slowly, she darted her tongue out, starting just below the drop and running upwards along his invisible mark. The drop tasted of intoxicating danger, prickly with the hint of poison. She lingered over that spot until she realized the youkai under her was frozen stone solid. Her heart rate picked up as she leaned back and took in his vibrant golden hued eyes. They were a deep gold, reminiscent of a Botticelli painting. She smiled embarrassingly and gulped as he smiled in return. His smile was filled with unexplainable emotion, one tooth threateningly sticking out in a semi-sneer. As her heart continued to pound and she felt cold sweat running down the back of her neck, she failed to pay attention to his hands. Once second he was holding her clamped against his body, the next he had run his fingers through her hair and was holding her head in a tight grip.

As he started to growl, a deep rumbling that she could feel through her entire body, she knew she was dead. Kagome was unprepared for him to suddenly swoop forward and take possession of her mouth as if he was a marauder and she was Rome. The kiss was not gentle as Sesshoumaru started it by biting her lower lip. She gasped in pain and he thrust his tongue into her mouth, meshing them together while he explored the hot moist cavern that belonged to his wife. It was less than a heartbeat later when her ardor kicked in and she was foraying into his mouth, tongues meeting and fighting for dominance. Her hands moved up to his face, trying to hold him still while she plundered him in return.

Both were panting hard and completely absorbed in each other. Later, neither would take responsibility for her ending up straddling his lap. Nor would they admit that they were so involved that Michael had to cough from the open door in order to tell them that they were home. Kagome reared back, hands held up innocently in front of her, a blush starting at her cheeks and coloring all the way down into her dress.

Sesshoumaru looked at his disheveled wife and cursed at himself. He wanted nothing more than to take her upstairs and fuck her until they were both unable to move. Pushing her off of his lap, he turned to look out the other window. "Get away from me!" He pretended not to see her crushed expression as she pushed herself off the floorboards and ran into the house. As Michael backed away from the door, Sesshoumaru held up a hand. "Wait." Michael leaned his head in and looked at his master's taut form. "Take me to the Castle." Nodding his head, Michael closed the door and walked around to take the wheel. The petition was open when he climbed back in, but neither said a word during the drive.

ssssssss

Jaken was extremely confused when he saw Kagome run through the entry hall and up the stairs. He kept waiting for his former master to enter the residence, but when he saw the vehicle drive off he had his suspicions. Sighing heavily, he walked into the kitchen to collect a glass of shochu for himself and a can of soda for his mistress. Balancing both on a small tray, he stopped outside the doors of the master bedroom and squared his shoulders. He could hear sobbing inside and of all the unpleasant things he'd done in his life, this ranked higher than when he had to tell Sesshoumaru that InuYasha was unavailable to help fight the Panther Demon Tribe because he'd been sealed to a tree by a priestess. Squaring his shoulders, he knocked on the door. He waited patiently until a sad little voice told him to enter. Opening the door, he was greeted by a truly pitiful sight. Kagome was sitting on the edge of a rumpled bed, smiling falsely while tears ran unchecked down her cheeks. The messed up covers showed the outline of where she'd lain on them and a small crushed pillow indicated where her head had been.

"I bring an offering of peace." He held up the small red can and waited until she looked up. Her small choked laugh was indication enough and he walked over to sit beside her. Opening the can, he handed it to her and reached over to grab a tissue off of the nightstand. He awkwardly handed it to her before taking a big sip of shochu. They sat in silence, Jaken not knowing what to say and Kagome not willing to talk. Finally seeing that she had calmed down, he stood to take his leave.

"Jaken…" she turned her head up to look at him.

He turned to look at her. "Yes Mistress Kagome?"

"Am I really so ugly?"

Jaken sputtered, expecting anything but that question. "You are human." He watched as tears welled in those rich cerulean eyes, eyes that made even him feel her pain. He squawked and put his empty cup down to awkwardly pat her shoulder. "I didn't mean anything bad by that. I'm just not attracted to humans, I'm attracted to lizard and toad demons."

Kagome laughed wetly at that. "I guess we don't look anything alike, huh?"

Jaken got a wistful look on his face. "No, not in the least."

She chuckled. "I guess I deserved that. But seriously, am I ugly for a human?"

Jaken put a small hand up beside his beak and looked at her with all sincerity. "I do not believe that you are ugly at all, for a human."

"Then why can't Sesshoumaru stand to be around me?"

"I don't think it has anything to do with your looks or your personality Mistress Kagome. But the person who really knows is Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Does he hate me?"

"No, he would never have married you or let you into his life if he hated you. He is hard to understand, but his actions toward you do not bespeak of hatred."

"Oh, okay. Thanks Jaken!"

"You're welcome." He gathered her empty can and his empty cup and headed towards the door.

"Um Jaken?" He stopped and turned to look at her. "Please don't call me Mistress Kagome. I have bad thoughts about that title. If you have to show deference in public, please call me San or Sama, but I'd rather just be Kagome."

Jaken nodded his head. "Fine. Kagome?"

"Yes Jaken?"

"Please do not cry so much again, I like you better when you're angry." He walked out the door before Kagome could respond.

Hoping her husband was okay, Kagome walked into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

ssssssss

When the car pulled in through the gate, Sesshoumaru opened his door. Michael almost had the vehicle stopped when his master exited the car and disappeared into the woods. Not sure what to expect, he turned the car off and followed after his master. As he cleared the last set of perimeter trees, he saw a great flash of light as Sesshoumaru morphed into his dog demon form. Leaning over to pick up the pile of clothes, Michael was startled to feel a hot breath on the back of his neck. Standing slowly, clothes in hand, he faced one of his worst fears: a completely transformed and raging Inu demon. "I am taking these to the main house so that they do not get lost. They will be folded and laid on the fence leading from the wall to the dojo when you are ready to come in." The dog glared at him before nodding shortly and bounding off into the woods. Sighing in relief, Michael checked to make sure he really hadn't wet himself than folded the clothes and headed back to the car.

Sesshoumaru ran through the grounds of his home, fighting an internal war within himself. It was too late to stop his relationship with Kagome and tonight had made it impossible for him to turn away from the attraction that appeared to be mutual. Growling to himself, he bent and gnawed a tree, hoping to relieve some of his frustrations. When that did not work, he shredded its trunk with his claws, watching in satisfaction as the giant cedar fell with a shivery thud. Chomping his jowls at the aftertaste of cedar, he proceeded to lop off towards the northern part of his lands. He argued with himself the entire way, one long stride after the other. He knew what he would find and he alternately cursed and pitied himself for being so weak. As he entered the desired clearing, he stopped and dropped his head in defeat. It was as he expected. Turning back into his human form, Sesshoumaru walked into the clearing of moonflowers and breathed in their fragrance. Soft white hair slid over his naked back as he bent down to pick one of the blooms. Holding it up to his nose, he inhaled the sweet fragrance and remembered the night that Rin had planted the first vine.

Rin had finally reached the age that marked a change in their relationship. He had noticed over the last few months that her single-minded devotion had waned. Saddened but understanding of her growing maturity, he was surprised when one evening she stopped in his study and asked him if they could go walking that night. They left the house after dark and as they crossed through the gate, she turned north. They had not passed through the second set of border trees when she reached for his hand, reminding him of those short years of her childhood. She hummed a silly ditty under her breath and walked with him until they reached this clearing. Pulling him into the middle of it, she stopped. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I…" She looked down at her feet.

Sesshoumaru stood completely still, waiting as patiently as ever for his ward to continue. Suddenly she untied her yukata and turned to him. He was startled in a way that was not pleasant and started to back away when he noticed she held something in her hand. A closer look revealed a small green plant.

Laughing at his horrified expression, Rin walked up to him. "Sesshoumaru-sama, did you think I was foolishly offering myself to you?" When he refused to answer, she turned back to the field. "I think we both know that our time together is ending. I am nearing my sixteenth birthday and one of the village men has taken my interest." She shucked off her elaborate outer yukata, leaving the simple but colorful inner yukata of her station as a feudal lord's ward. "I want to leave you something to thank you for the years you have cared for and protected me." She knelt beside her yukata and pulled a small blade from one of her sleeves. Standing and walking a few steps away, she knelt and started digging into the soil with the blade in her hand. After she had moved enough dirt, she gently placed the fragile looking vine into the hole and covered the roots with dirt, patting everything back into place.

Sesshoumaru thought she looked very child-like as she playfully patted the ground back around the plant, but he knew she was seeing the world through the eyes of a young woman. He waited until she dusted off her hands and stood before walking over to stand beside her. "What is it?"

"It took me a long time to find it, but it is called a moon flower. It blooms only at night and the flowers are the same shade of white as your hair. I saw it once during our travels, but it took a long time to remember where that place was." She leaned forward and stood on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his waist. "You have been the best otou-san ever. I hope that this vine grows big enough to show you how much you mean to me." She let go and walked back to her clothing, asking for his help to tie the obi back properly. "I hope you will still let me visit after I have married."

He frowned at his ward. "I hope you will let this Sesshoumaru approve of your choice."

She turned, the childish grin having been replaced by a feminine smile. "Of course."

They walked back in silence. Rin's thoughts were on the young warrior that had shown a formal interest in herself. Afraid to break the peacefulness of the last quiet night he would spend with the human he regarded as his most prized possession, his daughter, Sesshoumaru also kept his thoughts to himself. As they reached the house, he leaned over and uncharacteristically kissed Rin's cheek. "You please me Rin. I wish you happiness with your future." Turning, he walked over the bridge to his spring, watching as his ward disappeared behind the shoji.

ssssssss

Shaking himself out of his memories, he uncurled his hand, dropping the crushed flower on the ground. The damaged petals emitted a foul smelling liquid and Sesshoumaru stood in the field of blooms inundated with the sweet scent reminiscent of his lost child, haunted by the odor of the emotional damage he had caused that night.

**A/N: **So impatient everyone is this week! I got like twenty "Why is Sess mad?" emails/reviews. Patience grasshoppers! I hope this answered more questions than it caused. Thank you again for the excellent reviews! I enjoyed every last one. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope for all of you to have excellent an week. -TK


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

The next three weeks were extremely tense between Kagome and Sesshoumaru. He did not return for two days and when he did, neither brought up the subject of that fateful evening. Over dinner, Sesshoumaru informed Kagome that the rogue firm had upped its efforts to enact a hostile takeover and he would be staying at the office for the next few days. At Kagome's look of patent disbelief, he snorted in anger at her suspicions and raised his newspaper, effectively cutting off further conversation.

Kagome spent her days locked in the basement working on her project. She only gave Jaken a key after he complained that he was taxed with the responsibility to keep her healthy and since she would not come upstairs at meal times, he needed to be able to bring her meals to her. When she growled at him, he told her she was becoming more like Sesshoumaru-sama every day. This earned him a glare that could have frozen lava and a key thrown at his face. As she disappeared back into her lab, he shook his head and wondered how long two powerful beings could live on pent-up frustration without destroying the world around them.

A week after the fateful dinner, Kagome ventured out into the city. She desperately craved the company of her friend Lucy and a sweet coffee-flavored beverage. Opening the door to the coffee shop, she was shocked to find Logan swinging Lucy around while she squealed and cried. Standing motionless, she waited for the couple to stop. When they finally realized their surroundings, Logan put Lucy down and gently kissed her on the mouth.

Dazed, Lucy looked up and saw her best friend, perfect timing in her book. "Oh Kagome! How did you know?" She missed Kagome's confused look as she rushed over. "Look, isn't it beautiful?" She held out her hand to show off a glittering engagement ring. "Did you get to see the proposal?" Lucy looked back at Logan, who wore a goofy look of embarrassment on his face. "He's awesome! I can't wait for him to meet my parents!"

Kagome felt like a third wheel and really wanted to hide under the closest subway station. But she smiled as Logan walked over and slung a hand casually around his fiancée's shoulder.

"Lucy, I've already met your parents."

"You did?" Bright green eyes looked up at his.

He chuckled naughtily. "Yes, when I asked them for permission to marry you." He smiled as her mouth dropped open and he gently put a finger under her chin and pushed up. "You'll catch bugs that way."

Lucy clung to his arm. "You went to meet them without me? Weren't you scared?"

"Your brothers can be a little intimidating en-mass, but I think we got along okay. There was a requirement though."

"Huh?"

"They said I couldn't ask you until I knew that my movie was going to actually make it to the big screen." He squeezed her tight and they both looked at Kagome. "That reminds me, Opening Premiere is in two weeks. I would like both you and Seth to be there, since you helped inspire me to reach a deeper level of acting with Naraku."

Kagome shuddered at the mention of her old nemesis. "I don't think I can." Thoughts of running into InuYasha flickered through her mind and she took an involuntary step backwards. "I really don't think it's a good idea. Thanks for the invite though!"

Lucy grabbed her sleeve. "You HAVE to go! I can't go by myself. I won't understand anything that happens in the movie. Plus, all those celebrities will eat me for lunch."

Logan laughed. "You're too cute for anyone to be mean to you. And only I am allowed to eat you." He watched her blush as she understood his meaning and he chuckled when she pushed him towards the door.

"Enough from you, pervert. You better get going before you're late." She opened the door and pushed him out, stopping him long enough for the both of them to share a teeth-jarring kiss. As he left, she turned dazed eyes back to Kagome.

Kagome sighed. "Sit down and tell me how he proposed before you explode into a thousand heart fragments and drown me in unwanted affection."

While Kagome drank a cup of super sweet caramel coffee, she needed it to combat the extra stress Lucy and Logan had just added, she listened to Lucy gush on about the morning. Logan had stopped by for a break and had gotten his customary cup of orange pekoe. When they sat down, Logan started steeping his tea when a frown started creeping into his face. Concerned, Lucy had asked him what was wrong. He replied that the teabag felt heavy and wanted to know what she was trying to do to him. Curious, Lucy had raised the teabag to find a diamond ring tied to the string. She laughed and told Kagome she just looked at him and said, "I don't know where this came from, do you want a refund?" before figuring out that he had done it on purpose.

Kagome couldn't help but smile at her friend's story. It was very sweet and a good tale to pass on to their children. The thought of children brought her back to the current dilemma and she frowned. "Lucy, I really don't think I can go to the premiere."

"But you have to!" She leaned forward on her elbows. "Forget my insecurities for a moment. Logan frequently tells me how much his acting has improved since the two of you had that conversation about Naraku's motives. Logan would be highly disappointed if you weren't there." She picked up the cold tea cup that her ring had been in and took a sip of it without paying attention. "Plus, I'm serious when I say that I'll need an interpreter. You HAVE to go!"

Kagome sighed again and decided to lay her cards on the table. "I have a secret I don't like to share with anyone. I'll tell you if you promise not to repeat it."

Lucy leaned forward. "I promise."

"Pinky promise, Lucy."

Lucy frowned at Kagome, wishing she didn't know that little trick. She was dying to share Kagome's secrets with Logan but knew this would bind her to her word. "Fine, but can I tell Logan?"

"No. Not even Logan. This stays between just us."

Lucy sighed in resignation and held her hand out, pinky raised. "Pinky Swear." She wrapped her pinky around her friend's and cemented the deal. "So, what's so great I had to go through that?"

"Uh, I used to date Yasha Inutai. We kinda hate each other."

"What!?" Lucy was standing up now, the chair slowly falling backwards to clatter on the floor. "Something that juicy and I have to keep it to myself?" She looked at her friend. "Sometimes you really suck, Kagome!" Lucy bent down and picked up the chair, pulling it back up to the table and sitting back down. "Will he cause a scene if you go?"

Kagome shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."

"He's married with two kids now. Surely he wouldn't do anything to embarrass his family."

Kagome could think of about a thousand things she'd rather do than sit through a movie that told a romanticized tale of her teenage years. She was sure InuYasha would portray her as the stupid incompetent one while making his character the perfect hero. He was too childish to tell the true story; and if he did, would anyone even want to watch it. "Now you understand why I can't go."

"No Kagome, I can't. I don't see why you would let someone from your past keep you from doing something with your present friends. Take your husband with you, rub it in Yasha Inutai's face. I've met both of them and I believe you have gotten the better man."

Kagome couldn't disagree. After giving a half-hearted promise to ask Seth if he would be willing to go to this movie premiere, she promised Lucy to let her know by the following Saturday and quickly left the shop. Her one sanctuary from the pressures of both her past and her present had been invaded in the last month and she wondered if there would ever be a time she found perfect peace. Walking aimlessly, she stopped when she recognized the abstract statuary in front of a skyscraper. Turning, she walked in through one of the tall glass front doors and past three serious looking businessmen on her way to the counter. All three stopped walking and turned to watch the very out of place woman as she stopped in front of the desk guard.

"Excuse me, but is Shujin Seth here?"

The guard looked up and smiled at the young lady standing before him. She looked like another one of the head boss's fan club members. "I'm sorry, but he isn't taking visitors without an appointment."

"Will you call to confirm that?" She frowned at his too smooth response.

The guard frowned back at her. "And what name should I give?" he had his pencil poised to scratch her name on the call log.

"Please tell his secretary that Shujin Kagome is waiting in the lobby to talk with her husband."

The guard dropped the pencil and stood suddenly. "Please miss, please wait a second." Picking up the phone, he dialed a number and immediately hung the phone up and looked back at her. "If you will wait, he will be down in a moment."

Kagome could have set her watch by Sesshoumaru's response time. In exactly one minute he stepped out of the elevator and walked over to the desk. He scowled when he saw it was actually his wife. Walking up to her, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" When she didn't answer, he pulled her over to a group of couches not far from the three businessmen standing in the lobby. "What happened?"

Kagome looked at him with bewildered eyes. "I don't know what to do. Lucy and Logan want us to attend the newest Inutai film premier in two weeks and although I don't want to go, I don't want to disappoint them."

Sesshoumaru hunted for patience. He had just completed a tense round of negotiations with members of the rogue firm and now his wife was standing in front of him with the tiny inconsequential problem of a movie premiere? "I will go with you, if you feel you have to go." At her scared look, he gently kicked the corner of a couch. "It is just a damned movie. The world will not end. I thought you were over this issue already. I have changed my mind. I am going to _require_ you to go, just so that you can prove to yourself that it is okay to move on."

Kagome smiled shakily and bowed before her husband, thanking him with her eyes for taking the decision out of her hands. He shook his head wearily before telling her he would be home for dinner and they could discuss this issue further at that time. He walked her outside and put her in a cab headed back to the mansion. He then stood and waited for her cab to disappear from view. Turning and walking back into the building, he missed the calculating looks the three men gave each other as they left the building.

**A/N:** Minna-san! I hope each of you had a wonderful week. Thank you so very much for the beautiful reviews! You kept me rocking through three hot sweaty days of pulling weeds. But, I got my first non-"Salmonella risk" homegrown tomato. It was tasty! Again, thank you for keeping up with the Taishos. I appreciate each of you for reading. Please have a great week and I'll ping you again next Monday. -TK


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

The following two weeks flew by quicker than Kagome wanted. Every day, she became a little more tense about the upcoming movie premiere. On the fated Wednesday morning, Kagome was a wreck. The movie officially started at 7pm, so Sesshoumaru left work at lunch and stopped by the cleaners on his way home to pick up his suit. The house was in an uproar as he stepped through the doors and he was tempted to turn around and head back to the office. _'__No hostile takeover could be as bad as my household when Kagome is this stressed.'_ But he decided that a great warrior demon such as himself could handle one small human priestess's nerves for one evening. They were both dressed and in the limousine by 5pm and Sesshoumaru had a moment to enjoy the humor of the situation as Michael walked back to the driver's door. Kagome, afraid to wrinkle her dress and look bad in the pictures, had taken the seat across from him and was lying down. Her silver-white over one shoulder gown was tastefully modest, unless she was lying down. Watching the top globe of her left breast peeking out of its restraint, Sesshoumaru was bothered more than he cared to admit.

"Sit up! You do not see me worrying about a wrinkle or two in my tuxedo." He turned at looked out the window, trying to ignore the thin thigh that peaked out of the high slit in her dress.

"Tell me when we get ready to step out of the limo and I'll sit up."

"You are going to mess your hair up." He glared at her for her stubbornness.

"No, it's practically glued on my head. It will take weeks to get all of the hairspray out."

He rolled his eyes. "Great!" Looking out the window, he hoped the evening went quickly. He needed to be in the office early the next morning and did not relish the thought of another almost sleepless night. He was getting far too many of these now that he was married to an unobtainable woman. He was so deep into his thoughts that he failed to recognize that their turn was approaching. Michael's gentle notification saved Kagome the embarrassment of being seen 'laying down' on the job. As the attendant opened the door, Sesshoumaru blanked his expression and stepped onto the red carpet, bending down to give his wife a proper exit from the vehicle. Flashbulbs popped as Seth Shujin showed off his new bride to the public for the first time. He had forgotten how famous he was in the eyes of the public and he almost felt regret about disregarding Kagome's nervousness. He knew she did not like being in the limelight and being attached to his arm at such a public event could not be easy. Leaning over, he whispered in her ear that it was better to be on the arm of a frozen dog demon than on the arm of a lecherous monk. At her unexpected laugh, more flashes went off and he had the satisfaction of knowing the picture in the social section of tomorrow's newspaper would be one of her laughing instead of looking scared.

As they entered the lobby of the Toho Cinemas at Roppongi Hills, Kagome was overwhelmed by the special effects and the crowd. Lasers were going above their heads and bright posters showed the characters. She kept her hand on Sesshoumaru's arm as he led them into the center of the crowd. Although she recognized no one, she smiled and made appropriate conversation as her husband introduced her to the upper echelon of Japan's society. Many who met her had been shocked when the great Seth Shujin had lowered himself to marry a commoner, but within a few moments all were thinking that he had been very wise indeed. Sesshoumaru was proud of Kagome for tackling the social monsters in this room with the same courage she'd faced down youkai in the past.

He noticed several of the actors entering the building and when he saw Logan and Lucy, he politely broke away from the high profile band they were currently talking with. Within a few moments the four of them were talking, Logan Dunan's popularity increasing dramatically by Seth Shujin's blatant show of approval. When Lucy hugged Mrs. Shujin, the crowd decided that the red-headed foreigner was not someone they wanted to offend. Sesshoumaru smiled to himself, knowing exactly what the elite were thinking and enjoying being able to use his power to positively influence their gossip.

Sesshoumaru heard the noise increase as his half brother exited his limo and started down the carpet. By the time the mutt had entered the room, the two of them were well out of his line of sight. Since InuYasha was no longer a hanyou, his sense of smell was a normal human's. Sesshoumaru could tell how close he was, but he would never know Sesshoumaru was in the room. As everyone headed into the theater, Sesshoumaru waited until the cast and production crew were all inside before taking Kagome into the darkened room.

They were given tickets for the front row, but Sesshoumaru had traded them for two seats further towards the middle at Kagome's insistence. Logan had protested their treatment when he saw where they were to be seated, but Kagome brushed his concerns aside telling Logan that she'd chosen to sit further back in order to properly see the action. Appeased by that explanation but disappointed they wouldn't be sitting together, Logan and Lucy told them they would meet them back in the lobby after the viewing.

The seats _were_ better further back and Sesshoumaru wondered at the absurdness of a couple doing a normal activity such as watching a movie that was actually based on their lives; five hundred years in the past for him and just a decade ago for her. Then add that he was a full-blooded youkai and she was an untrained human priestess from the future. Smiling at his strange sense of humor, he missed the odd looks of those around him who thought his smile looked decidedly predatory.

When the previews were over and the movie started, he slowly reached over and pulled the armrest up, gathering Kagome to his side so that he could better feel when she tensed up. He knew that watching this movie was not going to be easy on her. She had confided in the platonic quiet of their bed that she had never seen an Inutai Film because she did not want to see the past through his eyes. He had rented a couple over the years, out of simple curiosity, and knew that they delivered good action although the acting was often lacking.

The film started off in the very predictable way. Since it was the first in the feudal era series, it told the overly dramatized detail of how the main hero had been put under a spell by a tricked priestess and how a silly schoolgirl from the future freed him. It was predictable in the plot, especially since they had both lived the story, and InuYasha had portrayed most of the characters very accurately.

Kagome thought the female lead was a little too air-headed and Sesshoumaru chuckled at that statement, thinking that InuYasha had written the part a little too well. He was surprised to see the amount of romantic tension between the two and wondered if perhaps his wife had cared more for the whelp than she had disclosed.

The dog demon brother was a little too obnoxious and Kagome laughed when she saw his face. She leaned over and whispered that if that character had actually existed, he would have been much more stuffy and less feminine. He snorted in response and was saddened that InuYasha had left Rin and Jaken completely out of the plot.

But it was Naraku that caused the both of them to feel a little uneasy. Logan played such a gentle character at the beginning that the entire crowd gasped in horror as they realized he was the villain. Although Logan had first portrayed the character with simple anger and jealousy, by the middle of the movie he had morphed into downright evil and deception. Naraku was a complicated character and Logan had done him justice. Kagome shuddered, remembering that Logan had improved between the first and second movies and really hoped she was unable to attend the next premiere.

The fight scenes were very well done, the CGI and wirework almost flawless. There was subtle humor in the film and both Kagome and Sesshoumaru responded in the proper manner. When the end arrived without Naraku's demise and the crowd realized that this was to be a true series, the reactions ranged from anger to disappointment to excitement. True to form, the Inutai Film brought out the emotions of everyone in the theater. Yasha Inutai himself stood up to thank the viewers for participating and promised the second installment in one year. He was basking in the excitement when he suddenly caught the glint of silver white hair in the middle of the room and saw his brother and Kagome sitting together. Jealous rage and anger filled him and when he stepped off the stage, he left the theater to ambush them on their way out.

The crowd slowly dispersed and Kagome asked Seth to wait until the theater was less crowded to start their exit. He agreed, glad not to have to deal with people pushing to get back out into the lobby. It did not take them very long to find Logan and Lucy, both of whom had an interesting assortment of fans standing around them. The group consisted of actors who made their money playing cold or evil; as well as individuals curious to discover if Logan was actually as mean as the character. One by one they were charmed by his Aussie-style personality and several shook their heads as they left, surprised that someone so nice could act so evil.

Lucy watched him in shock, having a hard time putting the two personalities together. She wondered if perhaps she'd made a mistake in agreeing to marry him. Feeling the temperature drop beside him, Logan excused himself from his fans and dragged his fiancée into a quiet alcove and kissed the excitement back into her.

"I am just who I am. I don't have to pretend with you. I am not that monster on the screen. If I ever act like that around you, I want you to get Kagome to Aikito Ki my ass into oblivion." At her timid smile, he chucked her chin. "I love you crazy, coffee lady. You are my heart." Hand in hand they stepped back out into the lobby and met up with Seth and Kagome.

Seeing his wife beginning to tire, Seth bid farewell to everyone and headed towards the exit. They were standing in line to enter their vehicle when a hand came down on his shoulder. Sesshoumaru was unprepared for the great Yasha Inutai to start a fight with him in public. Because he did not anticipate this happening, he was not fully aware of his surroundings and had not thought the perfect retorts out in his head. As InuYasha yelled at him for daring to attend his movie premiere, he stood in silence while Kagome started backing towards the car.

Asking who the hell he thought he was to show up with Kagome, InuYasha was unprepared for Sesshoumaru to hold up a hand adorned with only a simple wedding band. "You married her?"

"Yes, happily"

"You bastard!" Cameras flashed like crazy as photojournalists immortalized Seth Shujin's public argument with the volatile Yasha Inutai.

Deciding he'd had enough, Sesshoumaru brought the argument to a quick end. "No, that is your title. I am simply Kagome Shujin's husband." He turned to leave only to find that both the car and his wife were gone.

**A/N:** Don't you just hate cliffies? I don't. I want to thank each of you for taking the time to read this chapter, and especially those that dropped me a review last week! There were some extremely splendid things said last week, all of which warmed my heart greatly. I hope that each of you have a great week and you'll get the next installment…you know when. Thanks again! -TK


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Sesshoumaru stood and stared at the empty spot where a limousine had just vacated. When the next vehicle arrived, Michael stepped out of the driver's seat and ran over to his master. "Kagome got into the wrong vehicle!"

"Why did they leave with her?"

A short photographer yelled at him from his spot near the exit. "Mr. Shujin, your wife was pulled into that vehicle by a hand in a black suit coat. Do you have any enemies?"

Before the man could blink, Sesshoumaru stood beside him. "Did you get any pictures?"

"Sure! Let me scroll back through and we can look." Deciding that doing a good deed outweighed the money from selling his photos, he took the two men aside and they scrolled through the pictures until Sesshoumaru was satisfied with the results.

Bowing in front of the photographer, Sesshoumaru told Michael to get the car ready and asked the photographer for a card. Tucking the man's identification into his pocket, Sesshoumaru turned and left. He knew exactly who had his wife and as soon as he found their location, they would pay.

ssssssss

When Kagome woke up, she found herself bound by both hands and feet and lying on the floor of a warehouse. She raised her hands to her aching head and heard ominous chuckles behind her.

"Awake now? We were beginning to worry." A portly man in a black suit walked out of the shadows. "Kidnapping is not our area of expertise and I'm afraid one of us used too much ether. My sincerest apologies for your headache. But I am glad that you didn't die, that would have really messed up our bargaining power with your husband."

Kagome tried to ignore the cottony feel of her mouth. "Do I know you?"

Another man came out of the shadows with a cup of liquid and knelt beside her to help her sit up. When she wouldn't drink, he smiled. "It's only water. I'm thinking that your throat must be very dry. We want you to be healthy when you leave."

Kagome looked at her hands. "I won't leave here alive. I know who you are now."

The elder one came forward. "And who are we?"

"You're that group of men who were standing in the lobby of my husband's office the day I went to visit." She didn't look up into their faces but heard their collective breaths. Gathering her courage, she looked at them. "You would be very wise to let me go tonight. My husband does not take threats to his person very lightly. He will destroy you."

A third man laughed from the shadows. "Your husband is a big pussy. He pays a ball-busting female lawyer to do his dirty work. He'll give us what we demand and wait for your return. His type do not get their hands dirty and he would never win in a fight with us."

Kagome sighed. "You are members of the yakuza?"

"Retired. We run a legitimate business, but each of us has been trained to fight. We can handle the corporate type with ease."

Kagome looked up into the shadows from where the voice came. "I hope you fight very well. Shujin-sama is much more terrifying than the mafia." Turning to look at the young man, she smiled. "I think I'll take that drink after all. I want to be as healthy as possible when my husband comes for me."

The young guy looked at the older guy nervously. The older guy shrugged his shoulders and the young guy stepped forward to give her the water. She gave her thanks and then said she wanted to get a little more sleep, the effects of the ether dragging her back under.

ssssssss

The next morning, a very old friend of Sesshoumaru was standing in his office when the phone rang. Picking up at the same time, they both listened to the kidnappers' demand for Seth Shujin to hand over control of his company in exchange for his wife. Sesshoumaru was boiling in anger, but he kept a calm voice as he explained that the board would have to convene before such actions could be considered. When they told him he had twenty-seven hours to make it happen, he hung the phone up in their ears.

"Armaund-san, what do you have?" He looked at the moth youkai and waited while the youkai stood with his eyes closed and sorted the separate noises from the phone call in his head.

"They are in a warehouse, the echo was indicative of an empty one. I heard a horn in the background, sounded more like a boat than a train or a factory. There are three of them, I could hear three distinctive sets of shoes shuffling on the ground. One is heavyset and one is very young." At Sesshoumaru's raised eyebrow, he chuckled. "The young one is nervous and moves a lot. It's a sign of immaturity and goes away with more experience. Ah, and your lady is okay. I could hear her muffled grunts, they put a gag on her so that she couldn't make any loud noises. But I have to tell you…" He rubbed a long antennae. "She's highly pissed."

Sesshoumaru chuckled, glad to know Kagome was unharmed. If she had been harmed, her fighting spirit would have been lessened. That Armaund was able to tell her level of anger spoke volumes both about his hearing ability and about Kagome's state of mind. By her anger, Sesshoumaru knew that she trusted he would rescue her. He thought for about two seconds about whether she had tried to warn her kidnappers but then smiled evilly. He was sure she had given them ample warning that continuing to keep her captive would only guarantee their doom. Looking back at his friend, he stood. "Where do we start?"

ssssssss

Kagome snarled when the gag was removed and she could again talk. They had learned very quickly that only the young guy could deal with her. When the older one attempted to get close to her, she spit at him and told him to keep his lecherous hands to himself. Shocked that she could read his mind so clearly, the older one waved the younger guy over and said that he'd be solely in charge of the prisoner. The young man was very gentle and she smiled as he brought her another glass of water.

The smell of oily water was strong this morning and she was sure they were near the Sea of Japan. The warehouse was in decent shape, but she cringed as she looked at the grease and dirt smears on her expensive white dress; it was ruined. "Please, if you don't let me go, my husband will kill you. It will be painful. He will disembowel you, or poison you to death. If you're lucky, death will be quick; but when he's angry, he likes to torture his victims." She saw the nerves in the young man's eyes. "You've been kind to me, I don't want to see you die."

The older guy smacked her in the back of the head. "Shut up bitch! We're not letting you go, and as our other partner stated, your husband is too much of a wimp to come here himself."

Kagome shook her head. "My husband makes the Yakuza look like a kindergarten class."

The older man snarled at her. "You don't know shit, bitch. Your husband is only good for sitting behind his desk and fucking his secretary during lunch."

Kagome's laugh brought chills up the young man's back. "When my husband was younger, everyone called him Sesshoumaru-sama." She looked down at her hands, intentionally ignoring the way the young man's eyes suddenly widened.

He stuttered. "Like the legendary Sesshoumaru? The demon that destroyed the feudal evil one?"

"Daisuke, shut up!" The older man yelled at his partner before glaring at Kagome. "Any more stories out of you and I'll take care of you in a way that'll be very pleasant for me."

She grimaced than suddenly looked around. "Where is your other partner, the one that stays in the shadows?"

"One of us has to keep an eye out just in case." He chuckled nastily. "Although, it'd be almost impossible to find you even if your husband knew where to look."

Kagome rolled her eyes, Sesshoumaru never went by visual alone.

ssssssss

Following a hunch, Sesshoumaru and Armaund headed straight to Tsukishima. Looking at his old friend, Sesshoumaru pointed at the rows of warehouses. "How good are those ears of yours?"

Armaund laughed. "If your wife is talking, I will hear her as we pass."

It took four hours before they found her. She wasn't on Tsukishima but on a neighboring dockside island. The two of them staked out the building and waited for the next phone call. The cowards called right before the close of the business day and as they riled Sesshoumaru with their taunts and threats, Armaund's smile grew wider and wider as he was able to hear the conversation in stereo. When the call was over, Armaund simply raised a hand and pointed at the third building on the right. Sesshoumaru thanked Armaund for his time and talents, promised to stop by his restaurant soon and exited the car. As Armaund headed back into the city, Sesshoumaru stepped back into the shadows and waited for nightfall.

ssssssss

Kagome was tired and ready to go home as shadow man returned with their dinner. The floor was very uncomfortable but since she was the only one who had gotten any sleep, she wasn't going to complain too much. They had agreed not to drug her again if she would quit upsetting the young man by constantly making up a tale about how they were all going to die. Kagome shrugged her shoulders and replied that not everyone would die, she'd live; but agreed to be quiet on that subject as long as they kept their word. She was getting ready to reattempt to eat with chopsticks while handcuffed when the loud sound of a door shutting echoed through the room. The two men looked into the shadows, their eyes widened as they realized the noise came from someone outside of their group. Kagome felt a smile come to her lips. She never thought she'd be so happy to see the killing perfection in all his glory.

Shadow man stepped out of the shadows, gun pointed at Kagome's head as he waited for the specter to appear. As Sesshoumaru stepped into the light, shadow man laughed. "Well, not quite the pussy that I told your wife you were; but just as foolish."

"If you let the woman go now, you will all die quickly and painlessly."

The older man sneered. "You call your wife 'woman'? What kind of insensitive animal are you?

Kagome just closed her eyes and shook her head. Lying back down, she put her hands over her ears and hoped that her husband was quick so that they didn't scream very long. When she didn't hear anything, she tentatively opened her eyes and looked into the deep golden eyes of an angry Inuyoukai. She shrugged her shoulders and then suddenly stopped. "The young one was very kind to me." He nodded back and before she could blink, he was gone.

A gunshot went off behind her and she knew that shadow man had shot her. When nothing hit, she sat up to find Sesshoumaru holding shadow man above the ground with one hand and a bullet held in the other. After breaking his neck Sesshoumaru threw him to the floor and headed towards the other two.

Younger man had already pissed his pants and was lying on the floor whimpering. He knew he was dead and wished he'd actually listened to the little lady lying on the floor staring at her husband without any surprise. Understanding exactly what the lack of shock meant, he wondered how many times she'd seen her husband actually disembowel another man. When Sesshoumaru stepped over him, the younger man flinched but made no aggressive moves. He did stare in horror as a bright green whip snaked out and cut across his partner's neck, killing him with one swipe. Sesshoumaru was kneeling beside him before he could even think. "What kind of monster are you?" Staring into the unnatural eyes of a demon, the younger man was actually hoping death was an option.

"I am the nightmare your mother told you about to scare you as a child." He looked at the man. "Do not move." Sesshoumaru then turned and walked to his wife, using his acid to burn through the handcuffs on her hands and feet. "Come." He stood and gathered her in his arms, walking her out of the building as the sound of sirens neared.

As they flew over the rooftops on their way home, she wondered exactly how a fully enraged dog demon calmed down.

ssssssss

When they reached the mansion, Sesshoumaru gently put her down and headed towards the bedroom. She followed until he turned and snarled at her. "Stay away from me Kagome. I am not in control. Unless you are willing to accept the results of further actions, you need to turn and walk away. My blood is boiling and my bestial side was not appeased by the quick death of only two of those men. I should have slowly dismembered each of them and none should have been left living. Because I have been denied this satisfaction, my instincts are still uncontrollable." He disappeared up the stairs and she heard the massive doors to their bedroom slam before a howl ripped through the house.

Kagome could not stand to know he was in pain and threw caution to the wind, running up the stairs and flinging open the doors.

**A/N:** What happened?! Over forty reviews last week and NO ONE even thought about a kidnapping, and after I took the time to set it up so pretty too! I hope you were as shocked as I suspect you were. Thanks for the reviews, my bodyguard got his feathers ruffled when I told him you weren't _really_ threatening my life. It took a while but I finally got him calmed down. However, I may be receiving more threats after this week. I'd say "gomen" but I don't really mean it. I hope each of you has a marvelous week! Happy 4th of July if you're an American. -TK


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Shutting the doors behind her, she turned to see her husband standing inches away.

His growl froze her in place. "Do not move."

She looked up into the feral face of a man she'd only seen in the worst of conditions. His golden eyes were rimmed in red and the marks of his status were clearly visible on his face. It was clear that he had lost control of himself. Despite all of the stress he had been through since they had met, she had only once seen his stripes. Never had she seen even the faintest trace of them outside of that one night. She put a foot behind her, hoping to edge towards the door.

"Do not." He snapped, his teeth making a clanking sound as they violently closed.

The growl deep in his throat stayed steady and

.0 she wondered if the battle she could see in his eyes was going to be won. As his nose started lengthening into a snout, Kagome decided to try her chances. She waited until he turned his head up to howl and then tried to run harder than she'd ever run before. She only managed to turn towards the door when hands streaked with magenta at the wrists slammed into the door on either side of her body. Trembling, she waited to be torn apart.

His heavy panting beside her ear was more stimulating that she cared to admit. "You were warned. I gave you every chance I could. Are you really that foolish, or were you actually hoping for what is going to happen next?"

She put her forehead on the door in defeat. "If you're going to rip my innards out and eat me, please do so quickly. The suspense is horrible!" Even her voice shook.

His laugh was evil, but the shiver running up her back wasn't solely due to fear. He leaned further in, his mouth beside her right ear. "Oh, I plan to eat you. You will be my main feast tonight. But you will be alive for all of it."

His chest was pressed against her back and she realized that the great dog demon was especially hard against her hip. She blushed, than blushed again when she realized what he meant. Her nipples hardened against the cool wooden door in response. Suddenly the hand to her left moved away from the door and ran down the middle of her body. The dress fell open, the cloth having been severed. Gasping, she tried to turn, but that hand held her steady. His right hand stayed pressed against the door while his left hand took liberties with her body that she would remember forever. The fingers lightly played in her clavicle, they brushed down over her breasts and pinched the hard nipples. Those lascivious fingers of his even dared to poke themselves into her belly button, giving her an idea of future events, before they headed further south.

She cried out when they snaked under her panties and she tried to close her legs tighter. That earned her a nip to her earlobe and a growled admonishment. The right hand suddenly left the wall and touched her thigh, pulling her legs slightly apart so that the left hand could go back to exploring. It took liberties that no one besides herself had ever dared. Even InuYasha had not been so bold. Squeaking in dismay, she tried to push away from the wall only to get growled at again.

"Stay still. My control is very thin." It was guttural and sounded similar to a small series of growls.

Kagome tried to remember what she'd been taught about dogs, but could not remember anything except that dogs smell fear and to never run from a dog. Something she wished she'd remembered a few moments ago. As she felt a cold breeze against hot skin, she realized that Sesshoumaru had expedited reaching his goal by cutting her panties off of her. As he teased her with a finger, she tried unsuccessfully to hold back a moan. His panting was louder and faster in her ear, and they both were feeding off of each other. Suddenly a finger pushed into her small orifice and she groaned at the onslaught of feelings. He took her to climax with only that finger and his thumb. Screaming at the intense feelings, she was unprepared for him to step away from her.

"Get out, now." He put her hand on the doorknob. "This is your only chance. If you stay any longer, I will not be responsible for my actions. Leave!" Suddenly she was free of him.

Kagome knew a desperate plea when she heard it. She also knew that no matter how much he suffered, his honor would not allow him to hunt her down. Straightening her shoulders, her resolve made, she gripped the doorknob tightly and turned the handle. As the door opened, she turned to look at her husband. He was standing with his back to her, shoulders heaving as he held on to his control long enough for her to escape. His hair had grown long again and she could see bright streaks across the cheek turned closest to her. His nails were digging into his hands hard enough for small trickles of blood to run between the clenched fingers, and she watched him flinch as she slammed the door.

His shoulders dropped further in defeat and she knew her decision had been the correct one. "Are you going to kill me?"

His head whipped up and he was on her quicker than she could blink. "I told you to leave. You must have truly lost all sense of reason. I cannot stop. I will not stop no matter how loudly you plead. You are a stupid, stupid human." He reached down and took possession of her mouth. His face had reverted to his human form, but the streaks were boldly glistening in his passion. As his tongue forced its way between her teeth, she bravely sent her tongue out to duel with his. His grunts and her groans were sure signs that neither was displeased with the outcome. He slowly ran his hands down her sides and cupped the cheeks of her ass.

"I know." She moaned pleasantly, then in surprise when he tightened his grip and picked her up, rubbing her against his arousal as he walked them to the bed. He quit kissing her long enough to toss her on the bed, following with one knee between hers. "Are you going to kill me?"

He chuckled, the sound raising goosebumps across her arms. He slowly lowered his mouth to her collarbone, licking the salt on her skin. "Yes, la petite mort, as the French call it. Over and over. Tonight you will die many times." He pushed the robe off of her shoulders, pinning her hands while he played with her body.

He continued to lick, tracing a pattern to her breasts. Giving each of them equal attention, Sesshoumaru derived a series of moans and grunts from his bride as he sucked and bit. Leaving marks that he knew would stay for days, he trailed down her stomach. As she bucked and tried to free her arms, he took a second to wonder if she protested because she was ticklish or because she liked it too much. He tongue-fucked her belly button; then he headed back up, making sure she understood that her breasts were neither too large nor too small for his tastes.

Without giving her any warning, he grabbed her knees and set her legs on his shoulders, settling down for a feast unlike any he had ever eaten. Her hoarse shouts only encouraged him. Sometime during the process, she freed her hands from the dress. He thought it probably was a result of when he lifted her ass off the bed to get a better angle. Those hands pulled on his hair, bringing him back up to her mouth. He dove in, letting her taste what he was tasting, before working himself back to the place he most wanted to devour.

He continued, not pausing as she climaxed. Her contractions only heightened their awareness of each other, and he pushed her legs further up just to give her greater sensations. When she finally calmed down, he moved himself up her body, stopping when his groin met hers. He squeezed his arms under her shoulders, bringing her up to look him in the eyes. "Do you trust me?" At her nod, he lowered himself onto her body and moved an arm down to hold her hips tight against his.

At the first movement into her, she flinched. She pushed against his chest as the pain became more unbearable, but his grip was strong and she knew she wasn't going anywhere. Kagome tried to think on other things, but it was tough. Suddenly she felt a small nip on the corner of her jaw and she looked up to be speared by bright golden eyes. They held hers as he pushed the rest of the way in, and she stayed mesmerized as they both froze in silence.

Sesshoumaru had an iron hold on his control. If she would just relax, this would be better for both of them. She was so tight that it was actually uncomfortable, and he hoped that he was not physically damaging her with his attentions. There were several reasons he had tried to avoid this, but tonight's events had taken that control out of his hands. After a few tense moments, she started to relax. It started in her shoulders, he could feel their easing against the arm he had wrapped around her. Then the easing moved down her torso. Finally, she loosened up on him. He sighed, knowing what was going to happen next. "Are you ready?" At his question, she tightened again, and he moaned. It was a reflex, and it only lasted an instant, but it still hurt. "I am ready, if you would relax."

Kagome looked at him like he was crazy. "Relax? How!?"

He smiled and licked the underside of her jaw, pleased with her honesty. "I believe I can think of something." Leaning down, he started playing with her ear, licking around the edge and breathing softly into it. When she started quivering again, he moved from her ear to that sweet spot on her neck that he had found earlier. A choked moan was all it took and they lost themselves in each other. His movements were slow and strong, to give Kagome time to adjust.

She had to admit that the pain was not nearly as intense as before, and him moving inside her made her feel fifty different things. Kagome was amazed by how gentle he was being and was surprised to learn she could feel everything being done inside of her. It was a little embarrassing knowing that he physically knew what she looked like down there. There was also a little fear not knowing exactly how rough he could get, and a tiny bit of curiosity to find out if she'd like it that way. Before she could delve too deeply into these new feelings, he picked up the pace and her mind was no longer able to concentrate.

Sesshoumaru could feel her energy level increasing as he picked up his pace. He knew his wife would be finished long before he was, but he knew she could handle a long ride. As she crashed around him, he watched her face. He continued to move throughout her surprisingly long climax. When her muscles finally calmed down, he pulled out and turned her over, putting her on her hands and knees. This was his preferred position and he wanted his climax to happen this way.

Kagome thought they were done when he pushed her ass into the air and knelt between her knees. "What are you…" she tried to look behind her, but the hands against her hips and his sudden re-entry answered the question for her. She groaned with pleasure as he filled her from the strange angle.

He pulled her tight against him, leaning her up just slightly to grab a couple of pillows and shove them under her stomach. "You will be more comfortable this way."

She panted hard, but still managed to get her questions out. "Is this normal, or are you just a super pervert?" His sudden chuckle moved things inside her and she moaned.

"Normal. But you can call me a pervert if you want." He clamped a hand on her ass just to tease. "Much like that monk friend of yours, this hand is possessed." His squeezing opened her further and he groaned and went back to work. His movements became faster and more frenetic. She tried to hold herself up on her arms, but found herself leaning on her elbows. Just as she thought she was going to pass out, Sesshoumaru reached around to touch her and the rest was history.

Seeing her suddenly rear back, her back bowed as she neared her peak, he completely lost the rest of his control and performed the one act he swore he would never relinquish. As she started to spasm, Sesshoumaru clamped down on the back of her neck while thrusting strongly into her body. They both splintered, the pain of her neck adding a secondary sensation to her already overwhelmed body. He pumped hard, panting through the teeth clamped on her trapezius muscle. When the most intense part of their orgasm was over, he turned them onto his side so that she lay in his arms, quivering, while he continued to make small movements in her body.

Occasionally he would grunt, and she wondered if that was normal. As she started to shift and turn to face him, he licked her neck in a soothing gesture. "I am a dog, it takes a long time for me to unwind." She blushed, suddenly realizing exactly what he meant. When she paid attention to what was happening in her, she could feel his semen still squirting out in small batches, usually accompanied by a grunt. "Sleep." She closed her eyes and did exactly that, not realizing when he finally pulled out and left the room, leaving only a note behind.

ssssssss

The next morning Kagome woke feeling the best she'd felt in years. Stretching, she felt a piece of paper crinkling under her cheek. Looking around for her partner, she picked up the paper.

'Kagome,  
In case you do not remember our discussion last night, I am leaving this morning for a two-week business trip to America. It was not my intention to mate with you last night. I apologize for my lack of restraint, but I have no regrets. Do not attempt to run away. I WILL find you if you do. We will figure out how we now fit in each other's lives when I return.  
Sesshoumaru'

Kagome wadded up the paper and threw it across the room. "Not my intention…my ass!" Suddenly the door opened and one of the female servants walked in. Kagome turned away, embarrassed to be seen naked in Sesshoumaru's bed.

"Oh my! I'm sorry, I didn't realize anyone was in here." Seeing the mark, she grinned and bounded over to the bed. "Sesshoumaru-sama has mated with you?!" She gingerly touched it. "Does it hurt?"

Kagome was bright red. "Not now. Do all youkai bite during intercourse?"

The girl waved a hand, still grinning. "Of course not. Do you not realize what this means?"

"What the bite means?"

"Hai! Sesshoumaru-sama has claimed you as his mate, his one and only."

"What does that mean to me?"

The bubbly girl grabbed her hand and pulled her out of bed. "It means you get dressed and live your life just like yesterday, knowing that you now are part of a couple."

"So nothing changes?"

The servant thought the master's mate was slightly addled, but who was she to judge. "Everything changes. However, he has left for a business trip, so nothing has changed for you until he gets back." She pushed her into the shower. "Why didn't you go with him?"

"He did not wake me up to ask me." Kagome grabbed the soap, hoping to scrub off the tingly feeling of his hands on her.

The servant sighed. How romantic, he did not want to interrupt her sleep to drag her along on his boring trip. _'__I hope I find a man so considerate.' _When Kagome stepped out of the shower, the servant was still standing there, towel in her hand.

"Are you going to do this with me every day now?"

The girl blushed. "No, I'm sorry. I'm just being nosy." Before Kagome had a chance to thank her for being kind and explaining everything, the girl was gone.

"At least SOME people are honest around here. Oh well, guess I'll have to wait to kill him until he gets back." She gingerly touched the mark on her shoulder, surprised it didn't bring pain with it.

**A/N:** Well, I hope it was worth the wait. I do need something from you though. I don't want this story pulled from because someone felt the chapter ranked higher than M. Therefore, if you felt this update was too graphic for the rating, PLEASE tell me. I can yank some of it out and make it acceptable. I've read enough stories on here to hold the opinion that it is okay, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

As always, thank you so very much for the awesome reviews last week! You got me through a professionally tough week. I also thank each of you who continues to read. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, until next week. -TK


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

About a week after Sesshoumaru left for his trip, Kagome started feeling extremely sick. After the third day of being too sick to work, she scheduled an appointment with a doctor. Furiously she paced the house, already suspecting what was wrong; but she wasn't going to skin the dog until she had positive proof. By the day of the appointment, she was positive; and in complete disgust that a single night caused this latest upset to her little world, it had to be some kind of damned record.

The day of her appointment also happened to be the same day that Sesshoumaru was scheduled to be back from his trip. When she awoke, she got dressed and drove directly to the clinic, not eating breakfast. The nurse had told her she couldn't. When her stomach grumbled in protest, she blushed and looked around the waiting room. Then she chuckled to herself. She wasn't the only hungry woman there. Some of the women sitting around looked like they'd swallowed bowling balls, rubbing their bellies when they growled. _'__I wonder how they can go without breakfast when they are so close to full-term.'_

The question of hunger was answered when one of the ladies came back from her initial test. After quietly asking the nurse if she could eat, she sat down and pulled a granola bar out of her purse. Seeing the covetous looks, she laughed. "I brought more, but you can't have any until AFTER your blood and urine samples have been collected." Several of the ladies smiled and went back to trying to keep their minds off their hunger.

The granola looked good for about two seconds. Then the nausea hit. Kagome almost smacked her head with her hand. _'W__hat am I thinking, I've been so nauseous, I never want to eat again.'_

A girl that looked about as old as she had been when she first fell through the well leaned over. "I can't help but think about how obscene it is to be hungry when I'm so sick I can't keep it down."

Kagome smiled. "Yes, it does seem pretty perverse."

The girl turned back to her magazine. "So you're still getting sick?" Kagome nodded. "That's not good. I was hoping that when I'm as far along as you, I'd be over it. I was told it only lasted 6-8 weeks."

Kagome blinked. "Six to eight weeks, how pregnant do I look?"

"About three months." She flipped a page, cutting a glance at the woman beside her. "How far along are you then?"

"Not three months."

"Oh, so you're having twins then?"

"Oh Kami, I hope not." Her thoughts were running so quickly that she missed the first time the nurse called her name.

Kagome was not sent back to the waiting room after her 'samples' had been gathered. They instead sent her to a patient room and told her to change into a gown. A few minutes later an older looking gentleman with a doctor's coat knocked and came into the room. Kagome's heart thumped visibly while the doctor looked at her chart. Suddenly he looked up and smiled. "Mrs. Shujin, the tests confirm that you are indeed pregnant. If you will lie down on the table, I need to check on the health and the position of the fetus." Kagome didn't like going for female visits, but she knew that her body was no longer just hers. She gently hopped up on the table and arranged herself as needed for the exam. While she thought about anything other than what was happening, the doctor very carefully examined her. When he was done, he told her she could sit back up and he turned around to pull off his gloves. "Hmmm…" He turned back to Kagome. "Do you have any idea when you conceived?"

Kagome looked at him blankly. "How far along am I?"

"Well, you appear to be six to eight weeks."

"WHAT!?" _'__We only had sex two weeks ago. Maybe demons grow faster. Sesshoumaru and I need to talk.' _Looking at the doctor's startled face, she realized she had to cover her tracks. "Um, I had a very bad cold two months ago."

The doctor nodded his head. "And you were on antibiotics." She agreed. "Well, this happens a lot more than people like to admit. When you are on antibiotics, your birth control doesn't work." She knew that, but pretended to look amazed. "Well, I am assuming congratulations are in order?"

Kagome smiled very largely, trying to stifle the panic that was welling up inside of her. "Of course, my mate will be pleased, why wouldn't he be?" She ignored the little voice in her head that viciously reminded her of his hatred for hanyous.

He froze to look at her. _'Mate? What a strange word. However, who am I to question?'_ He told her she needed to have another checkup in three weeks, then left to attend his next patient.

Kagome changed clothes and was headed home before she realized she'd forgotten to ask if there was more than one in there. Thoughts of justifiable homicide danced through her head.

sssssss

Just before Sesshoumaru arrived home from his trip, an old friend of his stopped by. One of the household staff let him in, recognizing him from a picture that had once sat on Sesshoumaru's desk. Hakaru had gone to school with Sesshoumaru when they were both getting their MBA's from Tokyo University.

Kagome was sitting out in the flower garden, Moufiri's head on her lap while she rubbed his ears, when a tall man with short black hair walked into her vision. "Hello, are you the new lady of the house?" Moufiri's head shot up and Kagome was almost dragged off the bench when she tried to stop him from jumping on the stranger. When Moufiri planted both of his paws on the man's chest and licked his face, Hakaru chuckled. "How are you Moufi? I've missed seeing your ugly face." He rubbed the dog's ears before pushing him off of his shoulders. He had a very gentle voice and Kagome blinked twice before focusing on him. He wore black slacks and a dark blue sweater over a yellow shirt. He smiled charmingly at Kagome before offering her a hand.

"I'm Hakaru, and you are?"

"Shujin Kagome."

He bowed low. "Very nice to meet you." Then he grinned. "Any way I can talk you into coming back inside and having tea with me? I'm famished." Kagome nodded and they headed back into the house.

ssssss

As Sesshoumaru opened the door, he could hear Kagome talking in the other room. When a deep voice chuckled in return, he sprinted through the house, unexplainable jealousy coursing through his body. Rounding the corner, he was brought to a dead halt by the picture of his lovely mate sitting across the table from his licentious college roommate. Growling, he stepped into the room.

Kagome was the first to see him. Suddenly she stood, bowing her head in respect. "Okaerinasai." (welcome home) She knew better than to use his name, the man sitting across from her probably only knew him as Seth. He walked to her and suddenly dropped to his knees, putting his face very deliberately in her crotch.

He inhaled deeply, causing Kagome to blush dark red and advert her eyes from the stunned ones looking at her from the table. "Someone has touched you here." He wrapped a hand around the small of her back, pulling her close. "Recently." He turned his head to look at his friend. "You?"

Hakaru knew better than to play that trick on his friend. He had never seen Seth jealous. Once he thought Seth had been interested in one of his women, but his rigid lack of emotion soon put end to that thought. Once the woman had taken her jacket off, Seth looked over at Hakaru in disgust and walked out. Hakaru almost smiled at the memory, Kenika had worn him out that night, and several others. "Iie, Seth-san, I would never touch a woman that belonged to you."

Sesshoumaru growled and went back to sniffing. A small hand pulled viciously on his hair, forcing him to look up or lose his mane. "Stop that you nasty dog! **Get off of me!**" He took in her blazing red face, the smirk on his friend's face, and the surprised look of the two servants who had stopped dead in their tracks at the edge of the door. Knowing he had lost all dignity, he suddenly stood and grabbed her hand.

"I will return Hakaru, stay." He barely heard his friend's words as he left. 'So the mighty one has finally fallen.'

He did not stop until he had Kagome inside his room and pinned to the closed doors. "You will explain yourself Miko."

Kagome sighed. _'__Why do I always feel like I'm to blame when he acts up?'_ "I had to be examined by a doctor today." At his raised eyebrows, she started to get angry. He doesn't even act concerned! I'll be damned if I tell him. If he hasn't noticed, it's his own fault. "You know, a 'girl' exam." His face darkened. "Did you smell anything other than that I'd been touched?" He thought for a second and shook his head. "Exactly. Now, will you let me go?" Sesshoumaru let go, causing her to fall the foot to the floor. Before she had a chance to gather her bearings, he had started disrobing. "What are you doing?"

He growled through his teeth. "You-smell-like-another-man." He walked back to her, his tie in one hand and his white suit shirt halfway off his shoulder. "Next time, go to a woman, I will not have this kind of reaction to women." He pulled her shirt off and palmed a breast. He unlatched the button on her pants and had the zipper down before she could blink. "Get on the bed, or I will take you right here."

"I don't think..."

He growled again. "I did not ask your opinion. Get on the bed or so help me, I will fuck you right here, against this door, with no regards to your delicate skin." She looked into red eyes and decided that this wasn't a battle she'd win.

"You will regret it, just like last time." She pulled the covers back, at least she could enjoy the soft fabric against her body.

Before she had a chance to blink, he had divested her of the rest of her under things by the expedient way of slashing them off. She didn't even have time to mourn the loss of her pink lingerie before he flipped her over, put her on her hands and knees, and thrust into her. They both grunted at the contact before he settled into a furious pace, giving neither of them time to think.

Sesshoumaru put his hands on hers, holding her trapped. The friction of their meeting was delectable, but the entire ritual was very short lived. They both came in a flash, and Sesshoumaru collapsed on her, trying to figure out when his sanity had fled. Sniffing to make sure his scent has replaced the doctor's, he nodded and pulled out. He was still semi-erect, his orgasm not completely over. Flipping her back over, he gently pushed the hair out of her face. "I do not regret what has ever happened between us in this bed. I am going back downstairs to see what Hakaru needs. If you wish to join us, you may. If you do not want to join us, since I have apparently embarrassed you, I will not hold it against you."

Before Kagome could get her mind out of the clouds and focus on what he had just said, he shut the door to the bathroom. She could hear water running, than the sound of clothing being hastily pulled on. When he opened the door, he was dressed in black jeans and a white Henley. She watched the jeans mold to his tight ass as he walked through the room and out the door. He quietly shut it behind him and she waited for his footsteps to stop echoing down the hall before getting up to take a shower.

Just as she was starting to step into the water, she realized that if he could smell the doctor's scent, when the man had been wearing gloves, than Sesshoumaru would quickly determine that she smelled different for another reason as well. She shut off the water, deciding to leave herself unbathed in the hopes that the strong smell of their passion would trick his nose until she had time to tell him her secret.

**A/N:** Well, this story has been relatively flame-free for 53 chapters. I suspect that is about to change. If you must flame, and I'm okay with that, please keep the language clean. Again, reviews aren't rated and I do know that there are TK readers out there who check the reviews. If you are one of these people who check the reviews, DO NOT DEFEND ME! I can handle flames and I will delete any review that criticizes another reviewer. Unlike previous chapters, I will not respond to flames about the lameness of this plot twist because the story speaks for itself and you will just have to be patient and wait for it to reveal its secrets.

However, I am going to turn the tables on you just a bit… You have an assignment for this week… If you think this plot twist is lame and contrived, think of the most creative (non-cussing) way possible to inform me of this fact and write it in a review. Some of you are writers, some of you are thinking about it - show yourself how creative you can be. May we all find enjoyment in the reviews this week!

I would like to thank all of my readers, and reviewers, for last week's show of support. I'm not very good at meringues in either of the citrus flavors, and the sheer number of reads (and the reviews) was very encouraging. No one banned me from fanfic so it appears that last chapter was within bounds (whew!!). I hope each of you have a great week! I just finished reading SDK Vol 29 and Fuburu Vol 20 and am frustrated as hell. The updates don't come out until November and BOTH of them left me in dreadful suspense. If you think my story's weekly update is long, imagine waiting 5 months. Aaarg!

Until next week - TK


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Kagome ambled around the herb garden until a servant came to announce dinner. When she walked in to the dining room, Sesshoumaru suddenly turned to look at her. "Are you trying to prove a point?" She blushed. "Come, sit down. This Sesshoumaru is famished." The servant closest to him proceeded to serve them dinner, the master first as always.

"I see Hakaru left."

He nodded. _'__But not before giving me three levels of hell over my obsession with a certain female._ _As he said, 'How the mighty have fallen!''_ Sesshoumaru picked up his wineglass, swirling the deep red liquid before inhaling the scent and taking a drink. "He said that it was a pleasure to meet you."

She looked up at him. "You both went to college together?"

"Yes. It has been somewhat tricky to reinvent myself every eighty years in order to appear human. For this last 'reincarnation' I attended University and earned an MBA in investment finance. I stayed on campus to establish an identity as a young man going into business. Hakaru was my roommate."

"Oh."

A grin snaked across his features. "He reminds me much of your Miroku Houshi." She blinked at him, he was almost scary when he smiled.

"Is he a lecher too?"

"Yes. But he exhibits that trait differently than the monk. As I remember, the monk liked to put his hand on women's asses. Hakaru has always kept his hands to himself."

She frowned slightly. "Than why do you think he was a lecher?" At his raised eyebrow, she blushed lightly. "Oh. Never mind."

"Exactly."_ 'But he was always careful to forewarn me, due to my sensitive nose.' _

"How did you…"

"He let me know, we had a code." He was deep in his thoughts when he heard her clear her throat. "Yes?" Surprisingly, she had eaten very little of the salmon and cream sauce that he had almost licked off his plate. "Are you feeling okay?" He just noticed that her face was slightly peaked.

"I'm a little overwhelmed."

"By what?"

"By everything."

He was getting frustrated, much like a normal human male. "When you care to elaborate, I will listen. Otherwise, do not bother me with your vague concerns." Her facial expression was a clear indication that a thousand years had not been enough time for him to figure out the right words to say to a woman.

"I will not bother your highness again." She stood to leave, but found him blocking the door before she could get to it. "Let me pass."

"I will not." She put her hands on him, trying to get him to let her by. Touched by her frustration, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his body. "The last female in my life was Rin, and she was only with me for a short time." He continued to hold her. "I will not always say the right things to you. I do not want you to get mad and leave me every time I make a faux pas." He looked out the windows of his dining room, watching the red sunset. "I told you before we married that I did not want to live in a battlefield. We are mated, and this is the 21st century. I will try to behave like a normal man would, but it will require patience and assistance from you." She nodded her head and he looked down at her fine black hair. "So how was the doctor's visit?" Silence. "Are you okay?"

She laughed wetly, he could feel her tears wetting the front of his shirt. "I'm pregnant, but all things consid…" suddenly she was pushed away from his body and hot eyes glared at her.

"Whose?"

"What?"

"Whose child is it?"

Before she could think, a large smacking sound resounded through the room. Both people froze and looked at each other. Sesshoumaru had a large handprint across his left cheek and Kagome's hand was killing her.

"I see." He turned and walked out of the room before she thought to blink.

Kagome watched his retreat before bursting out in tears. Sesshoumaru would not want any hanyou offspring and she worried about what would happen when he came back.

sssss

Sesshoumaru roamed his lands, not particularly caring if anyone saw him in his youkai form. There were very few humans on his lands and they all were the types that would not speak of strange events. His mind rambled aimlessly for hours. He could not believe she had hit him. _'__She had NO right to hit this Sesshoumaru. NONE whatsoever.' _"Except I accused her of sleeping with Hakaru, and other people."_ 'I fucked her as if she was nothing but a cheap piece, and did not notice that everything about her was different when I returned.' _"But she deliberately misled me."

Finally his mind began to wind down and reality started reasserting itself. _'__I am such a baka! Even my brother could have probably handled that better.'_ He shuddered at the though. _'__I thought she had just gained weight since I left, not thinking of putting two and two together.'_ His eyebrows frowned. _'They will be hanyou.'_ He scowled. Although he had hated what InuYasha's hanyou status meant to his family lineage; after raising Rin, he ceased to care so terribly much about what the other clans thought. He would personally train this pup so that it would not be as weak and useless as his filth of a half-brother had been. Scowling, his thoughts went back to the last view of his mate. _'__She is big for two weeks_._'_ That thought sparked him into action and he returned home.

She was sitting in the library, feet up on his leather loveseat, a book on military history in one hand. As he came around the couch, he realized she was actually asleep, the book slowly falling to her face. Before it could damage her nose, he removed it and knelt down in front of her, missing the dried tear tracks on her face. Gently placing a hand on her womb, he could feel the tightness of her pregnancy. He felt a tiny flutter and smiled. _'__The baby is strong.'_

She turned in her sleep, looking at him in a haze. "I think I'm having twins." She was already back in Somnus's world and therefore unaware of the devastation her information had wreaked.

He put a super sensitive ear on her belly. There were definitely two heartbeats. _'__This is NOT good. How can my offspring come to full term in a human womb? She could handle one, but two?'_ Worried, he got up and walked out, turning back long enough to put a light blanket over her.

Not caring about the time, he walked in to his office and opened a small drawer, pulling out a very thin black book that had hundreds of ancient symbols in it. Picking up the phone, he ran a finger down a couple of pages until he came to the correct one. When a very sleepy female voice answered, he did not even think to apologize for calling so late. "Dr. Ookami, please."

**A/N:** Well, I was surprised by the reviews this week. Where were the flames? In all honesty, I'm glad you're okay with this twist. When my muse took it this direction, I lost my temper, stormed around the house, took my keys and went to run errands, even turned the computer off for a few days. When I turned it back on, the plot was still there. I hope the story doesn't disappoint. Several of you have put the heat to it, lots of expectations out there.

I would like to thank each of you for taking the time to read, especially those who reviewed. The reviews were well written and several of them made me dance around in joy. One of you pointed out an error, which was pretty big but to easy to fix. Thank you! It is easy to lose track of a detail while writing something this long, but I'm glad you caught it because I want the story to be right. I hope each of you enjoyed this update and I hope you have a really good week! -TK


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Kouga had just gotten home from delivering triplets. Those kitsune families just couldn't seem to figure out what CAUSED that problem, and they always seemed to come in threes or fives. And at…he blinked at his watch, wishing his eyes weren't so blurry…really late at night. "Who is it?" He didn't get an answer, all he got was a phone in his face and an angry growl from Ayame before she rolled over and fell back asleep.

"Hello?"

"Is this Ookami Kouga?"

"Yes."

"You have become awfully damned polite since you became a doctor, have you not?"

Kouga could feel the hair on his neck rising. "I'm waiting." He sighed, trying to count to ten. "If this is InuYasha, I swear on all I hold sacred I WILL find you and castrate you so that you can no longer mate with that human of yours." He started to hang up.

"Do not." The cold voice definitely did not belong to mutt-face.

Kouga got the first premonition that he was treading on thin ice. "I'm going to go out on a limb and if I'm wrong, please don't kill me Sesshoumaru-sama." He already owed Sesshoumaru one death, having allowed his pack to rampage through a town, killing the little girl Rin. Although Kouga thought it wasn't fair of Sesshoumaru to require a life debt since he'd used Tenseiga to bring her back to life, who was he to argue with the man? "Your servant got a human pregnant."

It was very quiet on the other end of the line and Kouga sat up, pushing the covers back to stand. Not caring that he was naked, Kouga walked out on his front porch and sat down in a chair. "A human got one of your servants pregnant?" More silence. "For crying out-loud, it's too damned late to be playing twenty questions with you. Fine, you knocked some human up and she's having twins, you don't know what to do because you know if she goes full term it'll kill her." More silence, which then caused him to mumble the next part. "And you've put the phone down and are on your way over here to kill me for insinuating such nonsense."

It was the small choking sound on the other end of the phone that turned Kouga to ice. "And you care for her don't you?"

"..."

"Oh Kami. I'm sorry. I should have realized a 4am phone call from you would be serious. What do you want me to do?"

He heard a deep breath. "Tell me my options."

They talked for a long time. When Ayame rolled over and put her hand on the empty spot in bed, she awoke and sat up. It wasn't like Kouga to leave without telling her, regardless of how vicious she reacted. Blinking, she realized he was sitting on the porch, the sun shining around his body, emphasizing that he was wearing…nothing. Shocked, she jumped out of bed, remembered to grab her robe so there wouldn't be two naked people on the porch, and walked over to give him the upbraiding he deserved. Pulling open the French doors, she started to launch into a tirade when she was suddenly frozen by his voice.

"Sesshoumaru, Ayame will come by this morning, just to check on her. She won't tell her that it's anything more than a visit to the high and mighty Lord of the Western Lands." Kouga hadn't reacted to her opening the doors. "Damn, of all the people you had to go screwing around with, why Kagome? How did you even find her?"

Ayame sadly turned and walked back into the room, crawling back into bed and pulling the blankets over her head. There were just some things you didn't want to hear your husband of five hundred years say at 6am. And after that long, it wasn't the words but the tone that gave him away. Infinity passed twice before she heard him open the doors and come back to bed. Strong arms wrapped around her torso, pulling her up against his chilled body.

"I heard you on the porch. Why did you leave?" He didn't have to be a mind reader to understand his wife. After the first hundred years, he finally realized that getting his head bashed for being a stupid male wasn't a way he wanted to live; so he started reading the non-verbal clues. The ones she was giving off right now were in large capital letters, underlined twice, and bolded for emphasis. He thought maybe even his old self…_'__no, my old self wouldn't have gotten it, I was pretty hopeless_._'_ "Ayame, I love only you." He nuzzled their mating mark. "I had a three-year-long crush on Kagome, five hundred years ago. I've have an adult man's obsession with you for more than four hundred years." She loosened up, but not by much. "I am not going to leave you, I don't even entertain any ideas about her beyond seeing if her breasts are really as big as they look."

She smacked him, hard. He'd expected that reply. He realized centuries ago that sometimes his wife just needed to vent aggressions, and it was better to say something stupid and have her hit him once than let her stew for days. Now that she was calm and knew his true feelings, boob comment aside, he could get down to business. "Sesshoumaru mated with Kagome two weeks ago. She's pregnant with twins, and he said she's visibly showing."

She turned and looked at him, waiting for an explanation on how she had stayed alive for five hundred some odd years. When none was forthcoming, she sighed. "That's bad Kouga."

He kissed her cheek and pulled her over onto her back, nuzzling his face in her breasts. "It's VERY bad. Can I sleep on you for an hour or two before I have to go face the world today?"

She pulled him over onto her, running her hands through his hair and down his back while he slept, her thoughts divided by five hundred years.

ssssss

Kagome woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and…eggs. "Oh no!" She made it only as far as the trashcan at the end of the couch before she threw up the remains of dinner. When a wet washrag dangled in front of her, she looked up into the ugly as sin face of Jaken. "Good morning Jaken." Jaken just shook his head and waited for the rag back. When she didn't hand it to him, he put a hand out to take it. "No, I'll take it, you don't have to carry around my puke." She shakily stood and pulled the liner out of the trash can and walked through the house to the laundry room, Jaken silently following her.

Sesshoumaru looked up from breakfast to see just that sight. His beautiful, blossoming mate walking past the dining room door, followed by a short warty man of a slightly green complexion. Upon second glance, he realized that Jaken and Kagome were almost the same color. Alarmed, he bolted out of his chair and almost made it out the room before a squeaky voice stopped his forward movement.

"I wouldn't sir. You had eggs for breakfast." Jaken was standing just outside the door, having seen his master's double take.

"What?"

"Kagome…" He shuffled a foot. "No disrespect sir, but she can't stand the smell of eggs right now."

Sesshoumaru looked alarmed at his retainer. "Since when have you started caring for her welfare?"

"Since she cleans her messes up herself and treats me as an equal."

"So you like her more than me now?"

Jaken looked his past master in the face, knowing the truth sometimes stung. "I have always respected you and looked up to you, but you have only started treating me decently in the last fifty years. Kagome never treated me poorly, not even in the Sengoku Jidai. She has earned kindness from me through her kindness." Jaken decided to retreat before Sesshoumaru flattened him, not sure why he suddenly felt the need to tell the truth.

"Jaken?" He froze, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Take good care of my mate, and make sure I do not have eggs or anything else that makes her sick."

"Hai." He turned and bowed, then waddled down the hall after his master's mate.

'_So not only do I run roughshod over my mate, but also my servants. Maybe I need to attend a sensitivity seminar_._'_ A cold chill ran down his back. _'__No, I will just pay closer attention. If Kouga can stay mated for five hundred years, surely I can figure out the proper way to behave with a human.'_ He left for the office, his thoughts causing him to feel every year of his age.

Kagome marched upstairs and took a shower, putting on a loose dress before walking out the door of the bedroom. Jaken was standing at attention, looking like Jared the Goblin King's butler. Smiling, she stopped and looked at him. "Did that stupid dog tell you to take care of me?"

Jaken could feel his beak start to curve in a smile. Afraid he'd scare her, he straightened it out. "Not exactly. He just wanted me to keep an eye on you."

Her mood was killed instantly. "Oh." She started walking before suddenly stopping, causing him to bump into her.

He bowed low. "I'm so very sorry for not paying attention."

She waved an absent hand. "I stopped suddenly. No harm done." She turned to him. "What name do you want me to call you? I've always known you as Jaken, but that stupid man typically calls you Jacque. I will honor your preference."

"Jaken is fine. I only use Jacque to sound more modern, just like Sesshoumaru-sama goes by Seth." He chuckled. "Calling him Seth helps to keep me from putting '-sama' at the end. That would raise suspicions." Kagome nodded and they started back down the hall. "If my lady would like to eat outside, the smell of eggs would not be so pervasive."

She turned and went out the doors, trying to figure out why this ugly toad had more manners than that stupid, beautiful man she called her mate.

**A/N:** Thank you all so much for your support of this story the last two weeks, it has really warmed my heart! Life is good, I finally got to see the Bat. Fabulous acting all the way around. If you haven't seen it yet, it was at least on par with the first one. I was shocked to learn it was only PG-13, pretty adult for -13, but none-the-less it did meet the criteria.

I hope this chapter helped allay some of the fears you voiced in your reviews. If it didn't, keep reading. For those of you who predicted…Kouga, I give you kudos. A couple of you have been guessing pretty close to this plot the whole time. Kinda freaky, but I didn't exactly make it impossible to follow. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for reading, and for the reviews. The ride's not quite over yet, hang in there we might have a couple more twists and turns. For those of you who read on Single Spark, this story is also posted on Dokuga, and is the replacement site for SS. All the sites get updated on Mondays, gives me something to look forward to during work. I hope each of you has a great week! Until next week. – TK


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

When Ayame pulled up to the front of Sesshoumaru's house, she was transferred back over four hundred years. The last time she'd been here, Kouga had been summoned to appear before Sesshoumaru to discuss the future of the youkai. Sesshoumaru had dispassionately explained that the world was moving forward without youkai and everyone needed to decide how to fit into that world. Kouga had then spent months trying to find a solution.

One day he was walking along his beach when he saw a young boy fall off the cliff above. He wasn't able to reach the boy in time to catch him and Kouga watched most helplessly as the child bled to death in front of him. Since he didn't know how to stop the bleeding, he was unable to do much more than watch. Ayame would never forget that day. They had discussed having children the previous week and Kouga had adamantly denied their need for children. She was washing clothes and trying to figure out how to tell her husband that it was too late for discussions when he walked up the ocean steps with a limp body in his arms.

He laid it at her feet and looked at her, tears running tracks down his dirty face. The horrible thought that he'd actually killed a human child ran through her mind. "I couldn't save him." He suddenly fell to his knees, putting his hands on the little chest. "He fell off the cliff and I couldn't save him. My legs just couldn't get me there fast enough." He suddenly shot up, throwing his hands at the sky. "I'M A TOTAL FAILURE, WORTHLESS AS A LIVING CREATURE! WHY COULDN'T THE KAMI HAVE TAKEN ME IN HIS PLACE?"

She laid a gently shaking hand on his shoulder. "Come here." She pulled him to her, holding him while sobs wracked his body. She heard him mumble about how he couldn't stop the bleeding and listened while the little heart quit pumping blood through the wounds. "You can't change your past, but you can change your future. It sounds to me like you need to look into the healing arts, otto-san (husband)."

Suddenly he stilled, then pulled away, his eyes shining with both tears and a new purpose. "Thank you love, yet again you bring me from the brink of despair." He kissed her passionately and picked up the body to find the parents. "I'll be back, then we need to sit down and figure out how I can do exactly that."

Now over four hundred years later, her husband was the foremost expert in demon medicine. He had more patients than he had time. His medical practice had three full-time demon doctors and seven human doctors. He consulted with all of them, but kept the humans and the demons separated by floors. Due to his great knowledge, no one questioned his peculiarities and none of his human staff had ever learned why he was so particular.

Ayame preferred pediatrics and had gotten her doctorate almost forty years ago. They took turns on the late night demon deliveries and he took her advice into account whenever dealing with tough cross-breed pregnancies. Today would be no exception.

Jaken was well aware of why Ayame was standing at the front door but he showed no indication as he walked her back to where Kagome was picking at a bowl of soup. He cleared his throat lightly, causing Kagome to drop her spoon and look up. "A Mrs. Ookami Ayame here to see you." He backed away leaving the two ladies alone.

"Me?" A gorgeous red-headed woman with grass green eyes walked into the room. She was dressed in black satin pants and a loose cream-colored silk shirt. If Kagome didn't know better, she'd believe she was looking at a gypsy.

"Yes, in Sesshoumaru-sama's absence." Ayame caught the scowl when she said his name, but pretended to be oblivious. She crossed the room, feigning surprise. "As I live and breathe, if you're not the spitting image of a girl I knew a long time ago. Your name doesn't happen to be Kagome does it?"

Kagome looked very carefully at her, then suddenly stood and backed away. "Ayame?" At the nod, she backed further away. "Are you here to kill me because Kouga had a crush on me?"

Ayame laughed, a delightful twinkle that often brought heads around in restaurants. "No, that was five hundred years ago. I don't think you'd want the old goat now." She pulled a chair out and sat down, supremely confident in her maturity. "I was summoned by Sesshoumaru-sama, and was told he'd gone out for a few minutes. When Jaken told me I could wait in the breakfast room with Sesshoumaru's mate, I couldn't resist the invitation to get a glimpse of you." She waved at the table. "Please, sit down, finish your…soup." Jaken suddenly entered and set a cup of hot black tea in front of Ayame. She liberally added sugar, stirring it without clinking the spoon a single time on the porcelain.

Kagome blushed and sat back down, pushing it away. "I'm not very hungry today."

Ayame smiled and waved at her with the spoon. "I'm surprised, considering your enceinte state. How far along are you?" Knowing the answer and wanting confirmation were not remotely related.

"Two weeks today."

Ayame did not want the image of Sesshoumaru having sex with Kagome in her head, but 'two weeks today' was too much information to keep her mind clean. "Wow! You're awfully big for two weeks. Are you having twins?"

"I think so."

"You don't know?" Kagome shook her head, shy around this very assured demoness. "Would you like to find out?" Kagome's eyes lit up. Ayame stood and turned to Jaken. "Tell your rude master that since he summoned me and then stood me up, I'm kidnapping his mate for a few hours." Suddenly she put a finger to her chin. "On second thought, don't tell him I KIDNAPPED her. He will come tear me apart. Just let him know we went out for a little shopping and will be back before dinner." She leaned down to face him eye-to-eye. "And if you tell him what we're _really_ doing, I'll rip you apart and make toad pate with your liver while you watch."

Jaken gulped but realized she was kidding when she winked. He almost saluted her for her methods. Ayame had the most direct but yet misdirecting approach to any job. He was tickled by how easily she was able to get Kagome into her medical clutches.

The two women talked about everything while they traveled to the clinic. Clinic no Isha Ookami was two blocks away from Sesshoumaru's office, but that was only because Sesshoumaru had owned all of that area when Kouga had gone to him to request some land. He wanted a facility near his home, but Sesshoumaru had been the landowner at the time. Ayame didn't tell Kagome when they passed Sesshoumaru's building. They were talking about Ayame's two sons Ginta and Hakkaku, named after Kouga's two best friends. Both of her sons had moved to America to open clinics in New York and Seattle. Japan wasn't the only country with the need for good Youkai/Hanyou health care.

Ayame pulled her vehicle around to the backside of the clinic and parked. Kagome just looked wide-eyed at the structure. "You can enter from either side?"

Ayame pocketed the keys and closed her door. "Yes, but this is the 'special' side. The normal humans park and enter on the other side." At Kagome's confused look, Ayame laughed again. "You're pregnant with Sesshoumaru-sama's child, correct?" She nodded. "Than you most definitely need to be on this side of the building." Ayame turned and walked in, not giving Kagome time to think further.

Before Kagome even had time to sit down, Ayame pulled her on through to an exam room. "Put on that robe there," pointing at a soft pink cloth robe. "I'll be back to take you for an ultrasound in a few moments." Just as she was tying the robe, Ayame walked back in. "Are you ready?" Kagome nodded nervously.

It was just the two of them in the very peaceful room. Well, them and a very large piece of equipment. Ayame started with a vaginal ultrasound, which was a little embarrassing for Kagome. When Kagome mentioned this, Ayame just laughed and said that after forty years of doing this type of thing, she never gave it a second though. She finished that up and went ahead and did a normal ultrasound since the fetuses were large enough to see with the regular instrument.

Kagome got pictures of her two babies, and Kouga got the video to analyze without having to do the exam himself. As he sat in his office watching the streaming video of the ultrasound results, he thought how lucky he was to have a wife that understood his concerns and could actually be of such a benefit to him.

His oldest partner walked in while he was kicked back taking notes with an e-pen and sipping French Roast coffee. "You watching porn again?" Kouga choked and sat up abruptly as a small hand smacked his back.

"You know smacking my back won't help me if I'm choking." He looked up into a shiny male face surrounded by dark orange hair.

"Yeah Kouga, but I've always enjoyed smacking you around." Shippou pulled up a chair and studied the video, whistling nonchalantly under his breath.

"Stop that. It's fucking kitsune tricks first thing this morning, then it's trying to kill me through aspiration. Now you're whistling 'three blind mice' under your breath." He turned to look at the younger man. "Are you just TRYING to grate on my last nerve?"

Shippou stopped and looked at him. "Sorry Kouga, I should have realized you weren't in the mood. You look like shit. What's wrong?" Kouga waved a hand at the video and Shippou went back to watching it. "I don't get it. Both fetuses look fine. They're what, six weeks?"

"Two."

"What?" Shippou looked at the monitor again, pulled a tiny ruler out of his pocket, measured and looked at Kouga. "Two?"

"Mmm, and she's human."

This time the whistling wasn't anything other than surprise. "Damn. She can't carry these children. Are you going to take them and hope they make it, or are you going to terminate?"

"Termination isn't an option, and I can't take them too soon, I have to assure their survival."

"What? Are these fetuses more important than the mother?"

Kouga had a very bad headache, and the kit wasn't helping any. Just because he turned five hundred and fifty something last week, Shippou thought he knew everything. "You don't know whose they are."

"You going to tell me?" He looked at Kouga, who had gone back to taking notes. "Fine. I'll just go find out for myself." He scooted his chair back.

A strong hand snaked out and stopped the man from standing. "Under NO circumstances are you to leave this room until that woman leaves."

"You act like she's the friggin' Queen of England."

He almost missed Kouga's quiet…"No, she's more important to us than the Queen of England."

**A/N:** Ah, I can hear the screaming now. It's starting really quietly and getting louder and louder as each of you read this chapter. :-). Of course, not all of you are screaming the same thing, although I'm sure a lot of you are going "seven damn days!" I was surprised when this chapter unveiled itself. I was typing away and going "really?" It felt like writing a Tim Burton Batman plot, introducing all the characters at the same time. But they all wanted some print time so here they are. I hope this chapter was not too technically wrong, although I am taking a little artistic license with the whole youkai/hanyou/miko gestational period because it's not set in stone and…I can. I've stuck pretty close to the normal assumptions so far so I hope you will grant this writer that much leeway.

I would like to thank each of you for your continual support and the mah-velous reviews last week. There was actually one that I printed and added to my "wow!" list. There were also a bunch of questions. I'm going to answer each of them with a "please keep reading" because the story will explain everything I've gotten questions about so far. I hope each of you have a really good week. Until the next one… -TK


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Shippo went home that night and wracked his brain trying to figure out who would be so important to risk a woman's life like that. Since the video was only of what the ultrasound showed, he had no idea who the woman was. All he knew was that Kouga was not one to give up easily, or to be this secretive. Sleep had barely claimed him when he suddenly sat up and snapped his fingers. Most demon gestational periods were around thirty weeks so the size of the fetuses would not be that advanced. Unless they were Inu, which meant only one person. "Bingo!"

Kouga had Sesshoumaru in his office discussing his concerns when Shippo barged in. He didn't see the silent man in the corner as he stomped up to Kouga. "Fluffy knocked some poor unsuspecting woman up, and…" Kouga's face was tomato red and he was flapping his mouth in silence and shaking his hands, doing his best to get the younger doctor to shut up. "He is willing to risk the life of the girl in order to have heirs."

"No!" Shippo felt every ounce of blood drain out of his upper body. "I would never intentionally risk Kagome's life for an heir."

The two doctors stared at him and came back at the same time. "You wouldn't?" "Kagome?"

Sesshoumaru had Kouga pinned in his chair demanding answers to the risks his offspring were causing Kagome before Shippo could get his mouth closed. Shippo slowly sat where he was standing, which resulted in him sitting on the floor beside Kouga's desk. Kouga explained all the options and what he thought the best course of action was, given Sesshoumaru's opinion, before Shippo could get his mind around the fact that his world had suddenly become flat.

He tugged at the gray pants standing in front of him, once again feeling like a tyke. "My Kagome?"

The knees to those pants bent, one knee cracking loudly, and he was speared with blazing yellow eyes. "OUR Kagome." Sesshoumaru stood and went back into discussion with Kouga, making sure he understood everything before he left the office. He stopped in front of Shippo again and reached down, hauling him to his feet. "If you think you can act your age, feel free to stop by and see her. She is my mate and lives with me. We are currently staying at the mansion, not the castle." He started walking but suddenly turned back. "She is extremely mad at me right now, so you would be very wise not to mention my name or that you saw me here." He turned, but stopped again. "In fact, you would be wise not to mention this clinic at all, or that you work with Kouga. She hates all men except Jaken right now." Shippo blinked at the sound of the door closing.

"She's being nice to JAKEN?" Kouga snorted at Shippo's disbelief and went back to taking notes on his newest and most complicated case.

ssssssss

Kagome was sitting in her favorite chair, a manga in one hand and a glass of water in the other when Jaken ushered a visitor into the living room. Startled, Kagome dropped the book and sat the glass down before standing and bowing respectfully. "Welcome. Are you looking for Seth-sama?"

The woman standing in front of him appeared tougher than the one he'd last seen. If he looked real hard, he could even make out the beginnings of a wrinkle or two. He laughed to himself at how foolish it was of him to expect her to be the same after so many human years had passed.

Kagome stared at him in concern. "Daijoubu ka?"

He snapped to and smiled foolishly. "I'm fine. Just startled to be looking at the loveliest picture I've ever seen."

Kagome turned and looked behind her. When she realized that he was talking about her, she blushed and absently rubbed her belly. "Um, I'm married…."

He chuckled. "Please forgive my rudeness. May I sit?" He gestured to a chair beside the couch. At her nod, he sat and proceeded to make idle chat. A few minutes later, a servant arrived with sandwiches and fruit juice. Kagome watched in awe as he snarfed down three sandwich wedges without blinking.

"If I may be so rude, do I know you?"

Shippo looked up, chewing furiously while holding sandwich four in front of his mouth and reaching for a fifth sandwich wedge with his free hand. He froze, than nodded.

"Oh my," She shook her head minutely. "You can't be…" She froze too, both of them looking like an odd still life from Norman Rockwell. "Shippo-kun?" The next instant she was out of her chair and wrapped in his arms. He hugged her tightly, almost picking her up off the floor. When he moved his arm to stuff another wedge in his mouth, she smacked his chest and he let go. "You act like you haven't eaten in days."

"Not your food. I haven't had your food in over half a millennia. Do you know how hard it was to wait for instant ramen to be invented?" He swallowed and grabbed a glass of juice, chugging it down hard.

"And you still haven't had my food."

He froze, sandwich six halfway in his mouth. "Huh?"

"I haven't really stepped foot in this kitchen. The chef said I could teach him all of my recipes, but after the hamburger incident I was to stay out of his territory."

He raised his eyebrows at what he knew had to be one heck of a story, but decided it could wait for another visit. "But these are your recipe, right?" At her nod, he continued to eat.

She got up and moved back to her seat. "How did you know I was here?" She scowled. "Did my mate tell you?"

No love lost there this week. "I heard a rumor and had to find out if it was true. Showed up of my own free will." _'__Okay, so it was my free will to come, she doesn't need to know I got permission first_._'_

"Since you're obviously not here under his command, sit and tell me what you've been doing for the last five hundred and some odd years." At his sad look at the almost empty plate, Kagome sighed and snapped her fingers. The servant immediately arrived and Kagome politely asked for another plate of sandwiches. "Don't worry, I won't let my little man go hungry. Just try not to breathe on me while you talk."

As the new plate of sandwiches arrived, with two glasses of milk, Shippo decided to get comfortable and tell a story that no other could tell. Kagome could see the mischievousness in his eyes and looked forward to the next few hours. "Well, let's start with the day you disappeared."

She groaned and put a hand over her eyes. "Shippo, I give you my WORD that I didn't know I was going to disappear like that!"

He reached over and removed her hand, looking at her with his malachite colored eyes. "I'm not blaming you. But you wanted to know. I'm sharing my life's story with you and you keep interrupting. It's very rude!" She gave a mock bow and he frowned at her before continuing. "My mother left very suddenly when I was forty-five."

"Forty-five!? And I let you take baths with me, naked!" Kagome glared at him.

"Demons age much slower than humans. We're born quickly, to prevent the mother from being in advanced stages of pregnancy for very long. But once we're born, we age very slowly. I was the equivalent of a four or five year old." He winked. "So the naked baths didn't mean anything to me at the time." She blushed and he continued. "My mother left and I stayed with a demon fighter and an ex-monk for a while. With Kaede and yourself gone, there was no one to provide good health care so Miroku and myself took on that task. He kept the children and studied books on herbs while Sango protected the village and taught others how to defend and fight. I never realized how unusual their roles were until after they were long dead and I had wandered on my own for a while."

"They lived to be very old for that era. I'm guessing it was all those vitamins you made us take. I loved their children, but since I mostly still looked like a child, I didn't feel comfortable living with them. I had watched them come into the world and I really didn't want to watch them leave it too. So, after we buried the founders of the Hiroshi Family, I left to travel on my own."

When Kagome raised her eyebrows in recognition, Shippo laughed. "Yeah, Miroku modified his last name slightly. There have been many famous members of his family over the years. I've kept up with all of the legitimate ones. It's been a daunting task, considering how prolific the family was at the beginning." At Kagome's frown, Shippo stopped talking. "What?"

"Did Miroku cheat on Sango?"

Shippo laughed. "Ironically, once he married Sango, his hand never wandered. He once confided that his lecherous ways actually helped him before Sango. By being up front about asking women if they'd bear his child, he either turned them completely off of him or he made it completely clear that any dalliance with him would not result in a male child being declared an heir. Since he was so good looking, turning women away was a good thing and telling them offspring would not be recognized kept any illegitimate children from carrying the cursed hand. He never told me how many women he slept with before Sango, but he knew enough to be dangerous." He leaned forward and picked up his glass of milk, draining it. Looking over at her half full glass, he frowned. "I heard a rumor about you, is it true?"

Kagome chuckled nervously. "What rumor? There are so many of them."

"That you are expecting."

She patted her belly. "Unfortunately, that rumor is true."

He picked up her glass and handed it to her. "Drink your milk. If you are having Sesshoumaru's child," at her disgusted snort, he squelched a smile. "As I was saying, _since_ you are having Sesshoumaru's child, I can tell you that dairy will be important, both during pregnancy and afterwards. Your body will need all the help it can get. Will you promise your first son that you'll eat vegetables and meat at every meal?"

Kagome sighed. "You sound worse than a mother." He crossed his hands over his chest and glared at her. "Alright, I'll eat vegetables and meat at every meal. Geesh, how come you know so much about babies?"

Holding up his empty glass and waiting on a nice servant to replace it with a glass of water, he chuckled. "You'll just have to wait Mother, we haven't gotten to that part of my story yet."

**A/N:** Now no whining about cliffies :-). This one is mild compared to what you've put up with. I hope each of you had a great week! (and yes, you can whine about the cliffy, I don't mind) I missed the opening ceremony of the Olympics because I had to work and am having a heck of a time finding a time when it is being replayed on the TV (Grrr!). Thank you all for a wonderful week of readings and reviews. May you have another great week! -TK


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Shippo smiled at the woman sitting across from him. She was becoming fidgety, a sign that she needed to walk. Standing, he held his hand out to Kagome. "Come on, I want to walk around the gardens. Is Moufiri still around?"

Kagome grabbed Shippo's hand and let him yank her to her feet. "Yes, but it was a close call about a year ago."

"Oh? What happened?" He released her hand and walked towards the garden entrance. Holding open the doors, he waited for Kagome to pass by. After shutting the doors and making sure they were secure, he let out a whistle that caused Kagome to jump out of her skin.

"He sniffed me and scared the crap out of me. I just about purified him." She braced herself as the sound of giant claws scrabbling on rock met her ears. "He's so big, what kind of dog is he?"

Shippo laughed as he saw his old friend come running. It was obvious that Kagome was the big draw for the old dog. "I don't really know. If he has any demon in him, it's very small."

Kagome turned to stare at Shippo, missing the way Moufiri skidded to a halt, his heavy panting tongue just inches from her shoulder. "That's it! That's why I feel so weird around him." Turning, she _Eep'd_ at how close he was to her, but quickly drew her breath in and reached her hands up to hold Moufiri's face still. "But how would he get that way?"

Shippo frowned. "I heard a rumor once while I was on my travels, that one of the great Inutaisho's sisters had an affair with a human. Her father was even more judgmental about mixed relationships than Sesshoumaru-sama. When he found out she was with child, he threw her out of the kingdom and forbade anyone to have contact until after she had whelped and left the creature behind. Brokenhearted, she killed herself."

Kagome had tears in her eyes and Shippo patted her on the shoulder, knowing better than to hug her. "But then I heard another version that makes more sense. I heard that she delivered a very large pup in a distant village. The peasants were so terrified that this human woman had given birth to a dog that they abandoned her. Since there was no one to care for her, she bled to death and the Hanyou was adopted by a local dog that had pups of her own. The Hanyou, never knowing any different, was a dog until his death. Being a dog, he sired other dogs, each generation becoming less youkai. But the trait of size stayed with the breed. Whatever the truth, Sesshoumaru-sama told me that Moufiri was the last of his kind and that he would keep him safe until his passing."

"Poor Moufiri, what a tough life your family has lived." She rubbed her wet cheeks against his neck. Moufiri sat and whined pitifully at Shippo. Shippo laid a hand on his head and pulled an ear. After a few minutes, Kagome let go and Moufiri butted her chest before looking at Shippo again and whining. "Is he talking to you?"

"Yes. He says you smell different." Shippo barked back at Moufiri and the dog gently moved his face to Kagome's stomach.

She laughed. "What's he doing, this tickles!"

"He's listening to the heartbeats of your babies." Shippo smiled at the sight and wondered if perhaps Moufiri was more cognizant than they knew. Moufiri then stood and wagged his tail ferociously, making small barks at Kagome.

"What's he saying now?"

"He says he wants to meet your puppies when they are born."

"Puppies!?" Kagome turned to look at him.

Shippo scratched the back of his neck, looking just like the hanyou InuYasha. "Heh."

"Heh?" She put her hands on her hips and glared at Shippo. Moufiri sat and watched the exchange with interest. "What does 'heh' mean?"

"Oh gee, look at the time!" He turned to go but his mother was quicker.

Snagging him by the back of his shirt, she pulled him to a stop. "If you so much as think about leaving before explaining everything to me, I will NEVER speak to you again." She harrumphed. "If you think five hundred years is bad, just wait!"

He sighed. "Why don't we go inside and talk about this?"

"First, tell Moufiri that Sesshoumaru-sama or myself will bring the children out after they are safe to take outside." Shippo barked at Moufiri and Kagome watched as the large dog ran in circles before gently coming up and licking her cheek before running back off into the garden. "Now, inside with you, trickster."

As they sat back down on the couches, one of the servants came in with more snacks. Kagome picked up a wedge of what looked like cheese on rye and chewed slowly while glaring at her grown-up son. He was now taller than her and she wondered if he was too big to put over her knee and beat the tar out of for giving her a heart attack. "Speak."

"I probably need to finish telling you my history. It'll make more sense of I do."

Kagome wanted to tell him she didn't care about his history, but she really did. "Fine. But talk fast."

"Well, after the Hiroshi's had passed on, I took to wandering. I had a very good knowledge in herbs and healing and I used those skills to help people as I traveled all over Japan. Sometime during those three hundred years, I traveled to China and some of those other countries on the mainland. That was fun, but I always came back. I guess I missed home."

"The real change happened when the Dutch started trading with Japan. It turns out that many of the individuals on those ships were actually Americans. I spent time with these foreigners and learned their languages. Then I bartered my way onto the ships with my medical skills and traveled around Denmark, Holland, England and even America. I lived many years in those countries." His eyes glinted with memories.

Kagome smiled at his tale. "Surely you didn't do medicine in those countries."

"No, I became a magician. I was very popular in England and had many liaisons."

"Shippo-kun!"

Her son blushed, but smiled cockily. "It's not good to lie, Okaa-san."

"True. Please continue, but leave out those kinds of details."

He laughed. "I guess you don't need them, you already figured the details out on your own!" He pointed at her stomach and watched as color moved from her cheeks down her neck.

"Enough! Continue with your story."

"I became the famous Shadow. Then I became Shadow's Son. Then I became the Grandson of Shadow. Then I moved to America for a while and started over as Shade." He sighed. "I was Shade for about ten years. Then I tried my hand at being a husband."

Kagome stared. "What did you say?"

"I got married. I met Sally while I was in California. I had gone out there on the request of a friend to deal with some labor disputes between the railroad and Chinese immigrants. I spoke Chinese, a result of my trip to the mainland, and English. While I was there, I met the daughter of Oakland's mayor. The two of us decided we really liked each other and dated for a while. It took a couple of years, but I finally won her father over. We were married in 1887. We never had children, Sally always thought it was because of her. I didn't have the heart to explain she was actually married to a demon and that in order to have children, we would have to be mated. We had a great marriage." His eyes turned sad.

"For our tenth anniversary, we took a trip to the Republic of Hawai'i. It was a very popular spot among the adventurous rich. Sally wanted to go, so we packed our bags and sailed to the island." He stopped and took a sip of water, staring out the window. "I don't know if you're aware of this, but there have been three major pandemics of bubonic plague. The first was in the 1300's and hit Europe and Asia. The second was the famous "black plague" that scoured Europe and the British Isles. The third started in Hong Kong in 1855, moved up to Russia, moved back down to China, then across to Hawai'i and finally was stopped in San Francisco around 1910. The Hawaiian Islands' outbreak started while we were on the ship. We weren't aware of the problem until we had been there a couple of weeks. Since I speak Japanese, I overheard a maid talk about how the people in her houses were getting sick and some had died. Sally got sick the day we left and she died on the ship on the way home."

A tear ran down one of Kagome's cheeks and Shippo reached forward and smudged it with the back of one hand. "She was a really good woman, Kagome. You would have liked her. There are days that I miss her very much. She was only thirty when she died." He chuckled. "She used to give me a hard time, saying that I had somehow drunk from the fountain of youth. She fretted that she'd continually get old while I would always look young. I would laugh at her and tell her if that ever happened, we'd run away together and pretend she was robbing the cradle. I told her no matter how old she looked or how young I appeared, I would always love her with the same heart.

They threw her body overboard. As callous as it sounds, there was no other choice. There was no way to store her on the ship. Plus, she had died from a highly contagious disease. Several other individuals died while we were on the ship, and several more were sick when we arrived at port. I apparently was immune because I never showed the first symptoms."

Kagome frowned. "Probably Myoga."

Shippo frowned too. "Huh?"

"Bubonic Plague is a virus carried in the stomach of fleas. Since you had been exposed to Myoga numerous times over the years, you probably got a weak strain of it and never noticed."

He smiled. "You know, you're probably right. Myoga _was_ good for something after all!"

Kagome frowned. "So Myoga is gone?"

Shippo looked at his hands. "Yeah. His wife showed up one day and said he'd finally passed. She said it while laughing. Turns out that while he was sucking the blood of a very inebriated Emperor he had a heart attack. She said that was the way he would have wanted to go, drunk on drunk Royal blood."

They both laughed for a moment. Shippo then turned back to her. "Okay, enough. You have to let me finish." Kagome's smile died and she nodded solemnly. "After Sally passed, I packed up the house and gave everything to her father. I told him I was leaving the country to start over and he bid me a fond but sad farewell. I was very wealthy of my own rights, but I left all my money in the bank and headed back to Japan. When I arrived here, I wandered until I heard rumors of people I recognized. I wasn't sure what year you were born, but school girls weren't wearing those crazy skirts of yours yet, so I figured it was too soon. Ironically, the first person I happened to hear about was the last person I expected to find. After a few days of disbelief, I headed in the direction of the rumors. Turns out that they were true and Kouga was actually running a medical clinic out of his house."

Kagome coughed on a bite of the sandwich she'd been nibbling on. "Kouga?"

"Yup." He smiled.

She looked nervous. "Ayame said he was still around."

Shippo nodded and smiled. "He's still as rambunctious as ever."

Kagome gave him a glare that said 'don't disappoint me, son.' "Do you work for him?"

"Yup, I do." He looked her dead in the eyes. "But you have nothing to worry about."

"Why is that?"

"He's the best in the world at his job."

The import of that piece of knowledge made Kagome suddenly sit up. "So Kouga's a…." She made a horrible face. "EEEEWWWW!"

Shippo laughed. "Don't worry, he's completely not like that!"

Then the second thought hit her. "You're a baby doctor too!" She sat up straighter. "Really?"

Shippo shook his head. "No, not really. I can deliver a baby if needed. But, I'm a surgeon and an occasional fill-in anesthesiologist. I run the normal medical facility down the block from the Ob/Gyn facility. It's my job to deal with the medical aspects of Youkai and Hanyou health."

She sighed. "That means you actually know what you're talking about."

"What it means is that the medical profession obviously runs in the family, Mom."

"Do I really have puppies inside of me?" She touched her stomach and felt a slight fluttering. Not sure if it was her nerves or a baby, she held her hand there but felt nothing else.

"It's very possible. But they aren't actually puppies. They will be half human, half Youkai. They could be born as puppies, but that is very rare among Hanyou. They will probably be born human with puppy ears, just like InuYasha."

Kagome smiled. "Kawaii!" Then she frowned. "Wait, does that mean they are going to be as arrogant as my abominable mate and as obnoxious as that mutt?"

Shippo scratched his head, wondering how to best answer that politically rife question. "Children are only as bad as the way they are raised."

"Kami help us all then!"

Shippo smiled, he couldn't have said it better himself.

**A/N:** Thank you to all of you who sent me links to the Opening Ceremony, it was breathtakingly spectacular! I was more than a little surprised by a couple of items last week. First, a lot of you don't care for Shippou. I hope this chapter wasn't horrible for you. Second, I think the whole lot of you have lost your minds! I got on Dokuga yesterday and found out you voted my story as one of the top three romances on that site. Are you nuts? I know what stories this one was up against and I'm flabbergasted!

Seriously, THANK YOU! I was really impressed by what stories were voted best in all the categories. Most of them I have read and of the ones I have read, I concur with your choices! I feel very honored that you ranked this story among the others on there. There are some fabulous writers out there and I could hug all of you for including me in that group.

Until next week. -TK


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

When Sesshoumaru walked into the library that night, it was to find his wife and her adopted son playing Go. Shippou was pointing at Kagome and she was standing and glaring back. They were both chittering extremely loud and fast at each other. "Enough!" His roar froze both of them immediately. He stalked over to them. "What is the problem?" He crossed both arms over his chest and imperiously glared at them. Shippou stuttered, so Kagome's comments made it to him first. Hiding a smile, he put one hand on his chin and leaned over the board. She nodded at a section of the 19 x 19 board and he followed her line of sight. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Shippou. "My mate is correct in her ruling."

The fox youkai had the good grace to blush. "But I'm hundreds of years older than her, I'm better than she is at the game."

Kagome opened her mouth but Sesshoumaru cut her off with a look. "You may perhaps be better than my mate at Go, but you have cheated. A typical kitsune habit, and it has caused you the loss of the game."

"Stupid Ko rules." Shippou sulked as he put his pieces in their correct wooden jar.

Kagome smiled at her brilliant husband. "Thank you Sesshoumaru-kun."

Glad that his wife was finally over being mad at him, he nodded and turned towards the kitchen, a cup of green tea in his immediate future.

ssssssss

Kagome's pregnancy went fairly smoothly. Finding out that her gestational period would be somewhere between eighteen and twenty weeks didn't make her feel real secure and every day she got a little more uncomfortable. The fetuses grew so fast that it was all she could do to eat enough to supply their nutrients, and once she was finished with this pregnancy she promised herself she'd never again use the words 'squid' and 'blueberries' in the same sentence. Weekly visits to the clinic took up a lot of her time and she had to explain to her manager that she'd be taking a leave of absence. When she told him why, he raised his eyebrows, adding up the weeks and coming up with a number much shorter than the time she had been married. Even worse, because she was going through pregnancy so quickly, she couldn't spend time with Lucy. They talked on the phone but couldn't meet. She couldn't share her news and hoped that when everything was done, Lucy would forgive her.

Her family was another story entirely. Mama Renault, tired of only talking to her daughter over the phone, decided to stop by for a surprise visit. It was definitely a surprise. Jaken had left her in the front foyer to inform his mistress that her mother was here when Kagome came around the corner humming an old nursery rhyme while sucking on an orange Popsicle. There was no telling which one of them was more surprised. Kagome dropped the cold treat on the floor and ran for her mother while her mother's mouth dropped open in surprise at seeing her extremely pregnant daughter.

"Oh Mama! I'm so glad to see you!" She went to throw her arms around the older woman but couldn't because of her belly. "Ah, I need to tell you something."

"Kagome Higurashi…Shujin!" She held her daughter's shoulders and pushed her away so that she could better look at her. "Were you going to wait until you burst to tell me about this?"

Kagome thought that if she'd been an anime character there would be wobbly lines about her head. "Ano, I really have been thinking hard on how exactly I _should_ tell you."

"How about…I'm pregnant. Or how about…my boyfriend knocked me up. Or how about…I have a bun in the oven. Or maybe even…Mama, you're going to be a grandmother twice this year."

"Ah, Mama, my husband knocked me up?" Kagome decided to go for the only one that didn't sound bad to her.

"Kuso! This was done before you legitimized your union." Kagome stared at her mother, she _never_ cussed. "You're as big as a house. I don't know how you two hid this from me during my wedding dinner, but I don't appreciate it."

"I'm only twelve weeks Mama. I didn't think I could get pregnant the first time."

"Happens all the time dear." Suddenly Mrs. Renault pushed away from her daughter in surprise. "Twelve?"

Just then Jaken ran back into the room and promptly skidded on the wet floor trying to turn around. "I'll bring tea into the sitting room if the two of you would like."

Kagome smiled at him. "Jacque, please bring tea into the library instead. My mother and I are going to spend the afternoon visiting." At his nod, she turned and led her mother into the very spacious library.

"Kagome, is your husband really this rich?" She looked at the walls of books and couldn't help but gawk.

Kagome laughed as she walked over to a chair and sat down, propping her feet up on the stool. "Mama, Sesshoumaru is hundreds of years older than InuYasha and InuYasha was over eighty when I met him. While InuYasha came to the future with me, Sesshoumaru stayed behind. He's had five hundred years since then to amass wealth." At her mother's suddenly calculating look, she frowned. "I didn't marry him for his money, so you can quit thinking that. We both looked back over our lives and decided it was the best thing to do. He has very few acquaintances left alive in his world that remember those days and I have found someone I don't have to keep secrets from. I think it's a very good relationship for both of us."

"Do you love him?"

"I didn't when I married him, but sometime before this happened," she pointed to her belly "I realized that I really did love the stuck-up Lord of the Western Lands."

"Does he know?"

Kagome shook her head. "He's not ready to hear those words from me. He may never be ready, but I'll have to wait for him to tell me first. I'm human, which means I'll die quickly. He may not be willing to give his heart to another human only to have it broken in forty or fifty years. That's a very short time for him. He could live to be ten thousand years old."

Mrs. Renault took all of this in and decided to digest it later. She knew Sesshoumaru was InuYasha's older brother, but she'd never really thought about what that meant from an age standpoint. She was totally shocked to learn her new son-in-law was probably two thousand years old and still only considered a young youkai in the natural timeline of his species. Then it occurred to her. If Youkai lived to be ten thousand years old, how long _was_ their gestational period?

Kagome could see the wheels turning in her mother's head and smiled. "Mama, it's strange, but because Youkai naturally lived out in the wild, the gestational period is much shorter than a human's. They grow very fast until they are old enough to protect themselves from normal prey, then they start aging very slowly. So, I'm actually due in about two months." She started to glare at her mother, but Jaken walked into the room balancing a tray with a pot, two cups and a tray of small sandwiches. Kagome started to get up and help the old toad, but her mother waved her back and took care of it instead.

After pouring tea and handing her daughter the mug and a small plate of sandwiches, she sat back on the corner of the sofa and glared at her daughter. "I guess this means I cannot have a baby shower for you?"

"Ano, sorry Mama. But I don't think you want to explain my advanced pregnancy to the old biddies that attended my brother's wedding just a few months ago."

Mrs. Renault sighed. "True." She leaned forward. "So, am I getting a granddaughter or a grandson? Hitomi and Souta just found out they are going to have a little girl, in February." She watched a smile light her daughter's face at the update.

"Well, we decided that we didn't want to know the sex. Sesshoumaru was actually the most adamant. But, we are having twins."

Her mother squealed and jumped up off the couch. She danced around the room much like Kagome had months earlier. Michael froze on his way past the door, struck by how much the two women resembled each other. Glad to know that his mistress would become more beautiful as she aged, he moved on to complete his errands. "Kagome!" Mrs. Renault went down on her knees in front of her daughter and gently put her hands on the mound in front of her. A small kick on one side and a nudge on the other made her smile. "My baby is having babies of her own!" She rubbed the belly hoping for another movement, but both of the fetuses had gone back to sleep, satisfied that the person touching them meant no harm.

"Ah, but there is a small problem." Kagome looked down at her mother. "They will be Hanyou. That means they won't look human when they are born."

"Are you going to give birth to puppies?"

Kagome laughed nervously at this. "Do you remember me talking about Shippou, my adopted son?" At her mother's nod, she continued. "He works at a special clinic for Youkai and Hanyou. He said that Inu-Hanyou are born as humans with dog ears and possibly a dog tail. So, I guess the answer is sorta." She looked at her mother's confused face. "I promise you don't have to be there for the delivery. It'll be weird to have grandchildren that aren't human, but I hope you can accept them."

"Kagome! I don't have a problem with your children looking like InuYasha. Did I ever have a problem with his ears and features?" At her daughter's negative shake, she continued. "I have no problems with what your children will be, I'm just trying to figure out how to tell my husband."

"Why don't you tell him that I just came clean about being pregnant and that I'm in my second trimester but I won't give you a date?"

"That works dear. But how do we handle the birth?"

"I don't know yet, let's leave that up to the experts at the clinic, I'm sure they have a plan." She rubbed her belly again, more out of habit than anything else. "Now that their growth has slowed down a little, the pregnancy has been easier on me. There was a while in which we thought I was going to die if I carried them to term." She watched shock appear on her mother's face. "But I've been told by the best doctor out there that as long as I take it easy, everything should be just fine."

The two of them spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on each other's lives. Jean Pierre was turning out to be a wonderful husband and Mrs. Renault did not hesitate to state this. Kagome talked about her own husband but left out much of the details that her mother had inserted. When they realized it was beginning to darken outside, Kagome called Michael and asked him to take her mother home and her mother called Jean Pierre to tell him that she was going to be late and ask if she could pick up dinner on the way home. His reassurance that dinner would be ready when she arrived made her smile. _'__He really is the nicest man.'_ Mrs. Renault hugged her daughter and rode home in peace, knowing that everything was going to be okay.

**A/N:** Thank you to each of you for reading, and for the wonderful reviews last week. I hope that each of you have a great week, I know I'm going to give it my best shot. I'm sending this chapter out in honor of my mother, who spent an hour this weekend trying to find this file on my computer so she didn't have to wait until Monday to get the next chapter. See, I treat all of you the same, even family :-p. Until next week everyone. -TK


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter 61

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Several weeks later, Kagome was waddling in from a visit to the gardens when she passed Michael carrying two bags to the car. She had just returned from a trip into town to talk with her manager and fill out leave paperwork and had gone for a peaceful walk to get over her anger. "Hello again Kagome!" He stepped past her and walked to the open trunk of the limo, which she had missed during her preoccupation with her manager's last comments about her pregnancy being a little too fortuitous. She reminded him that she continued to complete all assignments weeks before the deadline and when she ceased to perform at an exemplary level he could criticize. Smiling evilly replaying the way her Manager had backed down and apologized for his rudeness, she focused on the thin man that was again walking down the steps with a hanging bag in his hand.

"Those bags had better indicate that you and Jaken are running off to Disney World together and not because my husband is going on another damned business trip." She waddled around to glare at the man.

"Yes, well…" He stopped as a shadow formed beside hers.

Kagome turned to look at her husband. "Texas?"

"Ankara, Turkey. I will be back in three days at the most." He leaned forward and gently patted her belly. "You're not due for another three weeks, so this trip should cause no problems. However, if something does occur, Michael and Jaken can take care of you and I will return immediately." He gave her a husbandly kiss and walked to the car. As they drove off, Kagome sighed and turned towards the house.

ssssssss

Sesshoumaru called the next morning when he arrived in Turkey. Kagome had been surprised that he needed to go there, but after he explained that they had a subsidiary outside of Ankara, Turkey that created many of their components, she understood. She listened as he told her about the labor dispute and how the management at the facility was more stubborn than she was. She laughed at that and asked if they were as stubborn as himself. It was silent on the line for a few moments and she thought she had offended him when he replied that no one was as stubborn as a taiyoukai. She informed him of the tropical depression forming north of Australia, the only major news of her day. After a few more moments of shared conversation, they hung up. It was the last conversation they were to have for a week.

ssssssss

Jaken ran into the room the next morning and slammed to a stop when he noticed a very pregnant Kagome standing in front of the bed with only her underwear on. His high pitched squawk startled her and she turned and landed butt first on the bed. "Jaken, don't scare me like that!" He was pointing at her very large belly and his beak was opening and closing but nothing was coming out. "I know, it's hideously large; but that's Sesshoumaru's fault. Now, if you will help me get this dress on, I can't do it by myself." She held up a light peach garment and glared at him.

"So I've been reduced to a lady's maid?" He was mortified that he'd seen his master's mate so scantily clothed, but was glad to know that she wasn't going to purify him for entering without knocking. After he had her dress buttoned up in the back, he remembered why he was in the room to begin with. "There's been a delay, ma'am."

"What kind of delay?"

He scratched his onion grass covered head with a knobby green hand. "A small accident this morning at the plant, it was sabotage. Sesshoumaru-sama has to stay and take care of the problems."

Kagome rubbed a tired hand across her face. She didn't sleep well without her husband to lean against. Although their marriage was not a love match, he did a good job of taking care of her. She'd found a comfortable spot leaning against his chest with his sword hand over her waist and resting gently against her belly. The two hanyou inside of her also liked it. They were much quieter when their father's hand was touching their hiding place and they stayed still for their mother to sleep. However, when he was on a business trip, the two held all-night parties and Kagome hadn't slept well the previous night. "He's okay?" At Jaken's reaffirming nod, she smiled and they left the room in search of breakfast.

ssssssss

On Friday, Kagome was aimlessly pacing the house when the phone rang and Jaken yelled that Sesshoumaru-sama was on the phone. She walked quickly to the phone and was out of breath as she answered it. "Moh-shi, Moh-shi."

"Kagome, is everything okay?"

She laughed. "Yes, I just get out of breath when I have to walk fast."

Sesshoumaru frowned on the other side of the phone. "You are not due for two weeks."

She waved a hand, forgetting he could not see it. "I know, I'm just fat and tired. How is everything in Turkey?"

He new better than to voice his disagreement about her opinion of being fat, that was an argument he had lost several weeks ago. "We are finishing negotiations today. The labor union was very willing to work with us after we learned that one of their senior members started the fire last week." Sesshoumaru clenched his free hand, wishing he could exact vengeance on the man who had caused such damage to his week. "I am taking a plane home tomorrow morning. Given no further delays, I will be home late Sunday night."

"Be careful. The tropical depression that was building north of Australia has now been upgraded to a typhoon. They don't know what it's going to do, but they're predicting it to hit Kyushu on Monday or Tuesday."

"Thank you Kagome. You take care yourself."

ssssssss

Sesshoumaru received his first premonition that something was not right as he was getting ready for bed. His bags were packed for an early morning flight from Esenboga to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines. Looking at his watch, he decided he did not want to wake Kagome just to call and check on her. There was a six-hour time difference and she would be asleep. He would call after he awoke. The next morning, Sesshoumaru called as he was riding to the airport.

"Moshi, Moshi, Shujin Residence."

"Hello Kagome."

Kagome smiled. "Hello Sesshoumaru. Are you leaving today?"

He watched the turrets of a mosque through the window as they passed it. "Yes, I am on my way to the airport. I am on Turkish Air Flight TK0053. It will land in Istanbul and then leave on flight TK0296 to Narita. It is expected to arrive Sunday at 1pm. Will you please have Jaken meet me at the airport?"

"Sure. I'm writing down the info right now." She sighed as a small cramp hit her.

"Are you feeling okay?"

Kagome grimaced. "Yeah, I'm just having some Braxton Hicks contractions today."

"Are you sure they are false?" Her laughter relieved some of his tension.

"Of course, dear. I'm not due for another week and they go away when I lie down."

"Fine. If anything changes, call and leave a message."

"Alright Sesshoumaru. I'll see you tomorrow night."

They said their goodbyes and Sesshoumaru focused on the flight ahead. He wished there was a more direct route, but Turkish Air only flew to Japan out of Istanbul and the Mideast. Although the Mideast flights would shorten his travel time slightly, he continued to avoid those flights because of the airports' propensity to hassle him. Many Islamic sects believed that dogs were unclean and although Sesshoumaru looked perfectly normal to humans, the Youkai and Hanyou of the area were wont to give him a hard time. Sometime during his life Sesshoumaru had read the Koran and understood that in Islam, it was not forbidden to own or touch a dog; but that saliva was considered unclean. However, many of the followers did not completely understand this and he would rather avoid these countries than to upset the balance of ignorance. He smiled at the irony. Turkey was also mostly Islamic, but the men in charge of the subsidiary were highly educated Muslims who understood the intricacies of their faith and had never once questioned the legitimacy of a business relationship with an Inu-youkai partner.

He called again when he landed in Istanbul. It was a twelve-hour flight to Narita and he wanted to check in. The first indication that he should have either chartered a private flight or flown himself was when the plane stopped on the tarmac and was brought back to the bay to have an engine checked. This put them on a three-hour delay. Everything checked out fine after a small non-critical part was replaced and they took off. Once they reached cruising altitude, Sesshoumaru called home to inform everyone he was running behind schedule. The weather update was not sounding good.

**A/N:** I hope everyone had a great week. For those of you who are sitting in strange locations due to Gustav, I really am hoping and praying that you and your loved ones are safe and that things can go back to normal when you get back. I wrote this chapter over a year ago, not knowing that life would imitate art. If you're being inconvenienced because of this storm, I'd be tickled pink to get a one-liner or something from you stating you're okay. Although I don't know each of you by your online name (especially if you don't typically review), there are others who know you (by your internet name, not your real name) and would like to know you are okay too. They can check this chapter's reviews and see your name. Also, go to the American Red Cross website and register yourself (by your real name) as "safe and well." It's the little window on the top right. That way, your family and friends won't worry. Most people don't know about that feature on the website, but it helps keep uncertainty (AKA fear) to a minimum.

I thank each of you for reading, and for your reviews. I found out last week that on alone, there are over 3,000 hits on the new chapters of this story a week. WOW! I'm glad you like it. Please continue to enjoy it, and don't beat me up too bad for the semi-cliffy. Save it for an upcoming chapter(s), you'll be glad you did :-). Take care everyone. -TK


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter 62:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Sesshoumaru was at thirty thousand feet in a sealed aircraft when he learned that his plane was being rerouted to Shanghai. He looked out of the window and noticed that the landscape was not what he was expecting. Since this was an area he had personally flown before planes had been invented, he knew it like the back of his hand. Quietly stopping a flight attendant as she passed by, he asked her if she spoke any other languages besides Turkish, Japanese or English. She blushed and said she was passable with Russian so he switched to Russian and asked her why they were off course. Her look was almost humorous but he was not laughing when he asked the second time.

"Sir, why do you think we're off course?"

"We are to the north of the Tarim Basin. At this point of the trip, we should be on the south side of Xinjiang and the Lop Nur lake bed should be to our north. He pointed out the window. However, as you can see, Lop Nur is ahead on our south."

"Sir, I will find out and come right back."

"Make sure you do."

The waitress quickly walked up to the front and disappeared into the cockpit. A few minutes later she walked back to where he was sitting. "Sir, we are being rerouted to Shanghai Pudong International."

"Why?" He was beginning to become agitated.

"Because Typhoon Heiran is expected to make landfall at Sanbugun, Japan at noon and will be over Narita by the time the plane is to land. It was upgraded to a Super Typhoon this morning and we will have to wait for it to clear Narita."

"Will we be disembarking the plane at Pudong?"

"No sir, we will take on fuel and serve an extra meal, but everyone will need to stay on the plane."

"What if I needed to get off the plane?"

"We cannot allow that."

"Am I allowed to use a phone while we sit on the tarmac?"

She smiled. "Yes sir, while we are on the ground, you can use the phone."

When they finally landed, after two circles of the airport and a delay due to the heavy congestion, Sesshoumaru dialed home to find no one answering. Beginning to feel uneasy, he dialed Jaken's 'never to be turned off' cell phone. The voice that answered wasn't Jaken.

"Hello Dear. Are you okay?"

"Yes, how are you?"

"In labor. I heard you were being delayed. Any chance you're going to be home tonight?"

"Did you just tell this Sesshoumaru you were in labor?" He was not paying attention to the fact he had used his real name.

"Yes honey. And I wish you were here with me. Are you coming home soooon??"

Sesshoumaru was crushing the hand piece of the phone in his hand. "I am trying to get there." His wife was crying on the opposite end of the phone.

"There's a horrible storm outside right now and I'm hurting so bad! You have to hurry up and come home and make everything all right! These are your demon spawns I'm laboring to bring into the world and you're sitting in first class drinking champagne! Come home, I want you here!"

"I am trying to get home. Why did you go into labor early?"

"I don't know…asshole, temee, jerk. Maybe it's because you wouldn't have sex with me because you were afraid you'd hurt me, that isn't normal! Are you coming home or not??"

He was shaking now, knowing that he could not get off the plane and that his wife was in horrible pain to be using that kind of tone with him. "Kagome, we are grounded because of Typhoon Heiran."

"What kind of excuse is that?! You can fly dog boy, fly home!" She was breathing heavily into the phone and grunted as Michael took a curve too quickly. "Michael, slow the hell down. I don't want to die on the way to the clinic!"

Sesshoumaru had never felt this way before. He categorically labeled it a cross between severe foxglove poisoning and intense anger. "Kagome, if I get off of this plane, they will arrest me. It will be quicker to wait until we land at Narita."

"The great Inu-taiyoukai of the West can't find a faster way home?"

"Not without causing a lot of problems for both of us." He wanted to, he wanted to get off of this plane and fly home on his own more than he had ever wanted anything. He actually cracked the handset squeezing it so tightly. He decided it was nothing compared to what he wanted to do to the storm, but he knew he was doomed to wait.

"We're here. Hurry. I want my puppy dog with me."

She hung up the phone and he looked at it curiously. _ 'Puppy dog?'_

ssssssss

Ayame met Kagome at the door and prepped her. Fifteen minutes later she was lying on a birthing table being measured. "Kagome, you said your water broke an hour ago?"

"Yes. Although at forst I didn't realize

that's what happened. I really thought I'd pee'd on myself"

Ayame chuckled. "That's the normal response of a first time mother." She frowned as she finished the ultrasound.

"Is everything okay?"

"Well, you decide to go into labor two weeks before your due date, in the middle of a really bad typhoon, while your husband is out of town. I'd say that's par for the course with you." She pulled her gloves off and reached over to set Kagome back up. "Are you really set on natural birth?"

"Yes. We all agreed that this method was the least dangerous for me." She stopped. "Is there any reason why I shouldn't?"

"Not particularly. I'm a little concerned that your cervix hasn't effaced enough yet. But we have some medicine that will help that."

Kagome's heart rate sped up on the monitor at that statement. "What's that mean?"

"Well, you're dilated fine. But your cervix has to thin to make the pathway easier. Dilation is where the cervix opens so that the baby can come out without hurting you as much."

"Which one's better?"

"You definitely want effacement. We'll go ahead and start the medicine. Let me grab the anesthesiologist."

What felt like two thousand hours later, a very familiar face showed up. "Hey Kags!"

She looked up, between contractions, to find Kouga standing beside the bed. "Hi Kouga. How long is this going to last?"

"I don't know, you're a very unusual case. We've never delivered Hanyou twins, it's extremely rare that both of them live full term."

"What about Kinka and Ginka?"

"Well, they were full-blooded youkai if you remember, and they were incomplete without each other, remember?"

Kagome thought about the two brothers that gave their power to InuYasha's sword. "That's right. When one died, the other died too." She grabbed his arm. "Is that going to happen to my babies?"

Kouga laughed. "No, both of yours are their own little people."

"Do you know if they're boys or girls or one of each?"

"Yes, but I'm not telling. You'll just have to find out yourself." He looked around the room. "Speaking of not telling, do you mind telling me where your fierce mate is?"

"Shanghai." She growled. "Stupid typhoon has all the planes grounded. His is sitting on the tarmac in Shanghai."

Kouga suddenly felt ashamed of his errant thoughts that Sesshoumaru was out living up the town while his poor wife was suffering to bring these babies into the world. "So, we don't know when he's going to get here?"

"No. Does it matter?"

"Youkai-Human labor goes much better when the youkai parent is here. If the mother isn't the youkai, the father needs to lend his power to help."

Kagome looked at the clock, it was now 4pm. The winds were howling fiercely outside and she felt like howling herself.

Because of the storm, the usual anesthesiologist was unable to attend so Kouga called Shippou to come in and assist. He greeted a nervous Kagome with a smile, a kiss on the cheek, and a silly faced rose that danced and sang a sillier tune. Kagome laughed for a few seconds before the next contraction hit. The contractions were still fairly far apart and the medicine was working quickly on the cervix so they continued to monitor her and let everything happen naturally.

ssssssss

Sesshoumaru's plane finally took off at 7:30pm Tokyo time, and it was taking all of his energy to hold his demon-side in check. He wanted nothing more than to smash through the hull of the plane and dance with the vicious winds. The worst of the typhoon was past Narita and since most of the day's traffic had been stalled, the closest inbound planes were given special evening clearance to land. Sesshoumaru stepped off of the plane in Narita just as Kouga told Kagome to start pushing. He felt pain everywhere through his body and froze in the middle of the walkway until it abated enough for him to move. _'__What the hell was that?'_ Shrugging his body to rid itself of the rest of the ache, he headed through customs and went to baggage claim. He had phoned Jaken after they had taken off and knew his retainer should be waiting outside the airport. As he stepped into the rain, a black limo drove up and Michael opened the door. "Stay in the car. Just open the trunk so I can put the bags in." Michael followed orders and did exactly as he said. Just as Sesshoumaru closed the door, Jaken's phone rang.

"Moshi, moshi." Jaken pulled the phone away from his ear as Kouga started screaming in it.

"Where in all hells are you? Where is Sesshoumaru? We need him here, NOW! Kagome's trying to give birth without her partner and she's having problems."

Sesshoumaru grabbed the phone. "Let me talk to my mate."

Kouga walked over to Kagome's face. "Sesshoumaru is in the car with Jaken and wants to talk to you."

Her face was red and she was panting hard. The contractions were almost constant and the more she pushed, the more pain she had. "I'm scared."

Sesshoumaru bowed his head. "I know. We are on our way. Can you make it for thirty more minutes?"

"I'll try."

"You defeated Naraku. You put up with my stupid half-brother. You can do this." He looked at his watch, 11pm. He hung up the phone and looked at Michael. "The more time you knock off this trip, the bigger your bonus."

ssssssss

In fifteen minutes, Kagome's heart rate had dropped to an alarming level. Kouga, knowing there was no other option, reached in to find out what was going on. "Ah hell, they've become breech. Ayame!"

Ayame was working with another mother in another room. "What!?" Her voice echoed eerily down the mostly empty hall.

"I need you, now!"

She calmly told the lady on the table that she'd be back in a few. Her patient was on her fifth birth and was a long way from delivering. Snapping off gloves, changing aprons and cleaning up, she was just pulling on new gloves as she pushed open the door to Kagome's room. She saw something she had hoped never to see in her career. Kagome was mostly unconscious while Kouga had both hands in Kagome's uterus trying to maneuver the fetuses into position and blood was beginning to pool on the table. She looked at Shippou. "Is she stable enough for a Cesarean?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Why did you guys wait so long?"

Kouga didn't look up from his position at the foot of the table. "All of this happened in less than five minutes. She was progressing just fine and then all of a sudden the babies quit coming. I reach in and the first one is suddenly in a breech position." He smacked Kagome's thigh and she grunted. "Stay with me beautiful. I need you to push."

"It hurts so much!"

"I know sweetie, but we gotta get these babies outta you. Push real hard for me." He gave her credit. She did, but nothing happened. "Ayame, I need you in here."

She glared at her husband. "I'm right here, tell me what you need." They'd worked together for so long that they didn't really need to speak and she started putting together all the supplies for an emergency c-section. Despite Kagome's state, there really was no other option.

Kouga glanced up at her and saw what she was doing and sighed in relief. "You really are my better half."

She smiled to herself. "I know."

ssssssss

No one noticed when Sesshoumaru stepped in to the room. It took less than a second for him to canvas the entire scene and determine that Kagome was in serious medical distress. He stood in silence and prayed, not sure what he could do to help.

Shippou was worrying the cuff on her arm with his motions. "Her blood pressure is bottoming out Kouga. If we don't hurry, she's not going to make it."

"Tell me something I don't already know." Kouga was working furiously to get the babies out of her uterus. "Ayame, we have to stop this bleeding."

She hissed at her husband, her shiny white teeth glinting in the process. "It's kinda hard to do, DEAR, when you have both your hands in the middle of her gut."

He looked up at her very quickly before focusing on the task at hand. "I know, but it's like they know the first one out is Sesshoumaru-sama's heir. The one further back is holding on to the one that's breech in the canal. I can turn the one closest to me so he's no longer breech, but only if the other one lets go."

All three of the conscious people in the room stared at him. "What?"

"One's in pup form, one's in human form. The human won't let go of the pup's other front foot. I can't turn the pup out of the breech position." Before either of them had time to think about the unusualness of a hanyou in pup form, their thoughts were interrupted.

"Forty over Twenty, Kouga." Shippou was listening to Kagome's heart flutter like a small bird in her chest. "You gotta hurry man. Bring them both out at the same time if you have to."

Kouga glared. Then he turned as Sesshoumaru advanced towards the gurney. It took only a second to see that Sesshoumaru was even paler than usual. "What took ya so long? You were supposed to be here by two." At Sesshoumaru's growl, he turned back to his patient. "Are you sure you haven't completed the mating ritual?"

Sesshoumaru glared. "If I said 'No' would you work harder to keep her alive?"

"What's more important, the woman or the heirs?"

"Is it an either/or decision?"

"Possibly."

"Save my mate."

Kouga sighed and reached for a scalpel. "Ayame, we're doing an emergency C. Shippou, make sure this woman is still breathing when I'm done." Kouga worked as fast as demonly possible. He had Kagome open and was taking the first child out in less than two minutes. The second followed immediately after. They were both alive but shaky and Ayame called an assistant to take the children to the natal ICU until they could finish the surgery and get Kagome stabilized. Kouga was finishing up the final set of stitches when the monitor started whining. Shippou shouted and jumped up from his position, but Ayame reached Kagome's chest first. They both worked on her for what felt like forever, but neither could revive her. Heads and hearts heavy, they turned with glazed eyes to look at Kouga. He peeled the gloves off his hands and ran them down his face, leaving smears of white from the powder. He turned to look at Sesshoumaru, but he was no longer standing against the wall.

Running faster than he'd ever moved, Sesshoumaru got to his vehicle and was back in the room before Kouga had turned to look back at his wife. Slamming the doors open, he growled at the others in the room as he pulled Tessaiga out of its sheathe. Kouga started to protest and Shippou squeaked, but Sesshoumaru had eyes only for the body lying lifeless on the table. Walking over slowly, he spoke. "I do not know what will happen but keep my children alive, you have already lost this one's mate. I am going to try and bring her back." With that, he turned and swiped at the empty wall behind him. A meidou opened up and he walked through, it closing behind him and leaving no trace of the honorable dog demon.

Shippou gulped very loudly. "Did one of those babies just become the Lord of the West?"

Kouga looked at the lifeless body on the table in front of him. "I hope not. The world's not prepared to deal with the loss of both of these powerful individuals today." Suddenly he made eye contact with Shippou as everything clicked in his head and they both mouthed the same awe-filled words.

"Sesshoumaru just used Tessaiga!"

**A/N:** So I've been waiting ALL DAY to do this to you all. I hope you appreciate the agony that I've suffered today waiting to get home to send this cliffy out to all of you! It doesn't quite rival the agony I know you're in, waiting a week to get the update, but you can drop me a line and tell me what a mean writer I am to do this to you. I told you to save up, you'd need it :-). Here's your chance, just keep the language clean.

Thank you to each of you for reading and all the wonderful reviews! I hope each of you has a great week and I hope you are looking forward to the next update and not dreading it. Take care. –TK

PS… I'm really glad everyone made it out of Gustav and Hannah okay. I'm keeping an eye on Ike, hopefully it will fizzle in the gulf instead of building.


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Chapter 63:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Light came to Sesshoumaru very slowly, like an old movie theater bulb slowly powering up to show a shadowy black and white. He did not recognize this place. The last time he had performed a meidou, he entered at his father's tomb. Looking around the dim room, he could see four walls and a roof. There was a big black box in front of him and he moved forward, hoping it was the correct direction. He almost fell off of a platform before he realized the big black box was a hole. Freezing, he wondered if his acid whip would illuminate the room enough for him to find a way out. Suddenly he heard clattering from his right. Turning, he headed towards the sound. Below him, he could make out the faint outline of a body moving down the wall. Still not sure of his location, he listened as two feet quietly dropped onto a dirt floor. Cursing the dark, he was suddenly cursing the light as a brilliant blue shot out of the middle of the lower floor and he realized where he stood.

Kagome stood in front of the well, it having been activated as she neared it. Sesshoumaru admitted to himself that it was a mesmerizing color, but knew he had to get down there. Jumping and hoping the floor in this world followed the same laws as a floor in the normal world, he let out a sigh as he gently touched down.

The sigh startled Kagome and she turned towards the sound. "Who is it? Who is there?"

Sesshoumaru started forward, but froze when she backed further against the well. He was terrified of what would happen when she jumped. "Kagome, it is I, Sesshoumaru."

She laughed, a bitter laugh. "Are you here to finally kill me?"

"Why would you think such a thing?" Her hands tightened on the straps of what he realized was her yellow backpack and he tilted his head in confusion.

"You have always been trying to kill me, from the time we first met." She looked into the shadows, frightened but oddly reassured in his presence.

"Kagome, that was five hundred years ago. Do you not remember the last few years? Do you remember going to America and attending Medical School?"

She froze. "You confuse me, stop talking nonsense. I only want to finish the Shikon Jewel so that I can have a normal life again."

Sesshoumaru stepped forward, holding his hands out in a completely non-threatening gesture. "You completed the jewel and Naraku was defeated. You went back to your time with InuYasha and after high school, you went to Medical School in California. You now work on finding the genes that cause cancer."

"You lie! Don't come any closer."

"Kagome, if you jump in that well, you will be gone forever. It does not lead back to the past. It does not lead to the Hanyou called InuYasha."

Kagome frowned, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "How do you know?"

Sesshoumaru wanted to smile but knew that a smile would just appear threatening to this Kagome. "We have become friends in your present time. I learned all this from you after we started talking."

She looked very skeptical. "Why should I believe you?"

"This Sesshoumaru has no reason to lie about a friendship with a human." He folded his arms across his chest.

"Why do you have two arms?"

"My other one was reattached many years ago. Kagome, you have to try and remember."

"Why should I? I blocked it out, it must have been too painful. Why can't I remember?"

He walked along a wall until he was across the well from her, the blue glow eerily lighting up his face. "I do not know, miko. Do you remember us?" He looked at her with complete sincerity, sighing when her eyes showed no recognition. "Do you remember our wedding?"

Kagome leaned over the blue well. "Don't threaten me, I'll jump and land safely back in the past."

Sesshoumaru growled, the last thing he wanted to do. "If you were really in the present, why would I be here? I could never travel through the well like InuYasha, I tried."

"You did?"

"Yes. I wanted to see where my half-brother would disappear. I wanted to protect him in his current quest since I could not protect him from Naraku's trickery in the past. But I was not allowed to follow. When the two of you disappeared at the end of the battle, I came to the well and jumped, but it was sealed and I could no longer feel even the tendrils of magic. The well was dead."

Kagome sat on the edge of the well and breathed in the scent of damp dirt and shimmering magic. The well continued to glow, small curls of blue wisp rising up to tease their fingers as they grasped the edge. "If this well does not lead to the past, where does it lead?"

"I cannot say."

"Oh stop it! You, who can walk nonchalantly into anywhere cannot tell me where this place is? You, the Lord of the Western Lands and the Youkai who can speak with the dead cannot find the answers?"

Sesshoumaru leaned back, the blue glow dimming as his face moved into the shadows. "We are currently in the land of the dead. The dead do not answer my queries."

"You have asked?"

He turned his back to her. "I have no one to ask."

"The great Sesshoumaru-sama can find no one to ask?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "Fine." He turned back to face her. "Where is this place, Kagome?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Because you are the only one I can ask."

"How should I know?" Suddenly she squealed in fear. "Are you saying I'm dead?"

"I have come to retrieve you." He leaned back into the light and watched as she jumped off of the edge of the well and back onto solid ground.

She peeked over the edge of the well and made eye contact. "What happened?"

"You had complications during delivery."

"Delivery of what?"

"Our heirs."

"Heirs?"

"Children, our children."

"Our children?"

He smiled at her facial expression. It was a mix between horror and humor. "Yes."

"You mean we…" she pointed at him and then back at herself. She looked around as if making sure they were alone. "We had sex?"

He nodded. "That is usually how two people create heirs."

"True." She nodded her head, accepting there was truth in his statement, conveniently ignoring that the statement applied to her. "Why can't I remember?"

He frowned, but decided to be honest. "We only had sex twice."

Her response was genuine curiosity. "Why?"

"I was waiting for you to tell me you were willing to have a physical relationship with this Sesshoumaru." He blushed but she couldn't see it in the dull light. "I felt our two encounters were not completely consensual."

Kagome scowled. "I don't remember that either."

"Do you remember Logan and Lucy? Your friends at the coffee house?" She shook her head in a negative motion. "Do you remember your mother marrying Mr. Renault?" Again a no. "Do you remember Souta and Hitomi's wedding?" When she frowned slightly, he pushed further. "Do you remember when we went to the French restaurant and you argued with me because I ordered for you?" No response was better than a negative response. He finally realized he would have to pull out all stops. "How about when you found out that InuYasha was married to another woman?"

She put her head in her hands and shook it. "No! That was just a bad dream."

Sesshoumaru walked around and sat beside her, not touching but watching. "It was not a dream."

She pushed him away. "This is the dream. My real life exists on the other side of that blue light."

He gently grabbed her hand. "I do not know what exists beyond that blue light, but it is not your real life. Your real life belongs with me, and our children." The sat in silence, no sound except the low magical hum and hiss from the well at their backs.

Kagome slowly pulled her hand away and turned to him. "I do remember now. I also know why I've blocked everything." She stood and turned back to the well. "I will take my chances in the next place." She put one knee over the lip and the well brightened in response.

Sesshoumaru stood as well. "Please Kagome, do not."

She turned sad eyes to him. "I will not stay and be a nursemaid. I deserve to make this decision on my own."

"I do not ask solely for the children. Please, do not leave me again."

"Again?"

He looked away, unwilling to make eye contact and let her see the absolute truth behind his statement. "You and Rin were the only two people to show this Sesshoumaru undeserved kindness. After the battle I lost your friendship to time." He looked past her shoulder into the blankness beyond the well. "We have just become friends again. I do not want that to go away."

She turned and put a gentle hand against his face. "Friendship is not a big enough reason to stay. I feel the call, it's time to go."

He put his hand against hers, holding it against his cheek. "Please Kagome, do not make me live the rest of my very long life without you."

"Why does it matter?"

He straightened his shoulders and turned fully. Capturing her eyes with his, he spoke with conviction. "This Sesshoumaru has given his heart to your safekeeping. If you leave, you will take part of me with you." He released her hand as he bent down on his knees, his trick knee popping as usual. He continued until he was supplicant on the ground before her. "My soul will not survive your death. I will have no reason to breathe. Do not leave me to exist for another millennia or two as only part of myself."

Kagome felt a tear run down the side of her face. "Do you really love me?"

Sesshoumaru continued to look at the ground. "I followed you here to bring you back, leaving two small squalling babies without either parent. Does that sound like my rational side?"

"Are you sure it's not just the sex?"

He suddenly sat up and growled. "Yes."

She timidly put her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. "Fine. I accept your heart. Take me back."

Sesshoumaru could feel his heart beating again in his chest, but he pushed her away slightly as he stood. "I can think of only one way to do this, but it requires your complete trust."

She frowned, "Have I given it to you before?" He nodded. "Then I give it to you again." As he pulled Tessaiga back out of its scabbard, she started sweating. "What are you thinking, oh professor of great love?" She watched his Adam's Apple bob before he croaked an answer.

"If killing the harbingers of death in the living world sends them back to the world of the dead, then killing you here in the land of the dead should send you back to the land of the living."

"So, I'm just to stand here while you slash me with that sword?"

"Yes." He lifted it with one hand. "Kagome?" She turned to look at him. "I love you." He brought the sword down with a strong stroke and she disappeared from the shed. As he turned to open another meidou, a female voice stopped him.

"Sesshoumaru, it has been a very long time."

Sesshoumaru turned slowly. "Midoriko." He bowed low before her. "An honor."

The room was suddenly filled with bright laughter and the smell of spring flowers. "Do not bow. Tell me why you have slain my descendent." She watched all color strip from his face, leaving even his natural markings faded.

"So she is gone?"

"From this world. She has returned to your continuum." Midoriko jumped up and walked lightly on the lip of the well. "Your wolf friend is tending to her as we speak."

His knees gave out and he fell to the floor, the disturbed dust gathering on his white shirt. "Have I angered the great warrior miko?" He looked down at his clenched hands. "Is my punishment to be death?"

She stopped behind him and flipped, landing just a few inches in front of his feet. "Death is such a transitionary term." She looked at the tips of her nails. "You have given your love to a human, foolish demon."

"This Sesshoumaru believes that hoarding that love would have been foolish." He still stared at the ground.

"Hnn. But she only lives for a few more decades. What then, will you scour the lands for her replacement?" She ran a finger over a tip of one nail and a snag immediately repaired itself.

"There is no replacement for Kagome. I will cherish what time I am given with my mate. When she has passed, I will mourn with everything in my being. Then I will endeavor to continue existing." He looked up at her as he said the last part.

"Why did you not fully bond with her?" She knelt and reached forward to grab his chin. Running a curious finger down one of the magenta stripes, she glared at him when he jerked. He held still and let her touch his face. She had not hurt him the one time they met when he was a child and he decided that she would probably not hurt him now.

"Kagome learned she was pregnant before I could come to terms with that night and decide whether to complete the bonding. Since an equally bonded pair die together, I decided that it was better one of us live long enough to raise our children." He chuckled mirthfully. "If those children get even half of either of our traits, they will individually be a handful." He frowned and looked at the long passed Miko. "I could not willingly foist our two infants off, even on those that are the most competent to handle them."

"You need to complete the bond." She stood and walked around the room, looking at it carefully. "This place has changed since its original construction." She banged on a wall. "What is beyond this?"

"A city larger than the most wild dream you could envision." He scowled. "If we complete the bond, it will be a disaster."

She peeked through a crack in the wall, but since it was dark outside, she could not make out much. "There is a building out there. Is this a dedicated Shrine now?"

"Yes, and Kagome's childhood home. Do not evade the questions any longer priestess. This Sesshoumaru grows weary and wants to go home."

Midoriko turned to look at him, smiling at his disgruntled glare. "Since you were honest with me, I will be honest with you. Did you ever wonder what happened to the Shikon Jewel?"

"It ceased to exist."

"No. It is part of Kagome, has been since the beginning. It went back to her. Without it, she would continue to miss part of her soul."

"What about the part that Kikyo's death returned?"

Midoriko laughed. "The clay Kikyo had no soul, that was the entire problem. The only thing that kept her going was the resentment that became wrapped around the jewel as she was cremated. But, the jewel was physically part of Kagome's soul and that was the part of her that was missing all of those years."

"So the jewel returned to her soul? But what about the battles inside?"

She leaned forward and thumped his head with her finger. "I stand here before you, correct?"

"Yes."

"The jewel no longer contains a battle. That battle was won when Naraku was defeated."

"So what does the jewel hold?"

Grabbing his hands and holding them tightly she smiled. "I hope it will hold the love between a miko and a taiyoukai."

At his hopeful smile, she stood, bringing him with her. "The jewel extends her life. Completing the mating ritual will not harm either of you."

Sesshoumaru felt himself uncharacteristically hugging the fierce warrior before him. "Arigatou Gouzaimashita, Midoriko."

She hugged him back. "You are welcome. I will give your father your news. We occasionally run into each other."

Sesshoumaru found himself standing in a white operating room before he had a chance to respond. Kouga jumped a foot when he saw the filthy demon standing there. "Get out of here until you're clean. We have Kagome stabilized." Sesshoumaru nodded and moved towards the bathrooms to grab a clean pair of scrubs out of Kouga's locker before heading to the showers.

**A/N:** Wow! No one firebombed my email account last week. I'm surprised, but glad that you had enough trust in me to know I wouldn't leave you hanging forever. I thank each of you for reading, and especially thank those of you who reviewed last week. If Irritable Ike has displaced you, I hope it is not for as long as a lot of the current estimates are. I will continue to hope for a quick and successful restoration of power and services so that the 'Gulf-ians" can go home soon.

I would like to clear up one thing, since I got over a dozen reviews on it, I did not get the swords confused. Remember back to earlier in the story…I think it will come clear to you. And there are two acceptable spellings of the sword. Tetsusaiga is the popular English translation, but Tessaiga is the correct spelling if going by Japanese Hiragana rules. Take your pick, I use Tessaiga now that I know the rule. My earlier work (Past/Present's Future) used Tetsusaiga because I didn't know Japanese grammar rules yet. If you spell it Tetsusaiga, I won't correct your spelling, but I think it's only right you understand WHY I chose that spelling.

Well, that's it for this week. Je Na. - TK


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter 64:

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

Kagome slowly opened her eyes, trying to become accustomed to the brightness of the room. Everything hurt and she grunted slightly as she shifted. A movement to her left caught her attention and she turned her head. Sesshoumaru was asleep in the rocking chair beside the bed. A small bundle was squirming in his cocked right arm, just beside Kagome. She reached a hand out to touch the bundle when a small yap stopped her. Looking down into her husband's lap, she saw brilliant yellow eyes staring at her out of a furry black face. Two shaky paws slowly lifted his body and as she watched, he stood and yapped at her again, his tail wagging his body. A strong hand slowly reached down and settled under the pup's belly, keeping him from falling from his precarious perch.

"Do you want to see him? He wants to meet you." Yellow eyes of the same shade looked at her with concern.

"Uh, is he?" Kagome wasn't sure of proper protocol, but as the puppy yawned showing off bright canines, she decided she didn't care. "Does he have a name?"

Sesshoumaru leaned over and gently put the sleepy puppy on her chest. "Not yet. We were waiting on his mother to wake up and be part of that discussion." A cold nose rooted around her breast before finding what he wanted and latching on.

"Ouch!" She went to pull him away but Sesshoumaru stopped her. Kagome blushed. "Did I actually give birth to this puppy?"

He smiled, realizing that a Youkai offspring would be confusing for a human to understand. "Hnn. You are nursing my heir. He decided to be born first, although his brother tried to stop him by holding his front paw in one of his hands."

Kagome touched the soft furry head, running her fingers along one ear. She looked at her eldest son. "You should have bitten him." Suddenly she realized what he said. "Is that our other baby?" She pointed at the blanket that was beginning to make snuffling noises.

"Yes, and he's hungry too." Sesshoumaru pulled the blanket back to show off a small pink human with thick wispy white hair and blue eyes.

"Why does he have no puppy dog ears, is he human?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged his shoulders. "I do not know how, but we have two full-blooded youkai. One was born in youkai form, one was born in human form. There is no question that we are their parents though." He chucked the chin of his youngest baby boy and the blue eyes turned to stare at him.

"All babies are born with blue eyes, Sesshoumaru." She winced as their oldest son bit her.

"Not youkai babies. They are born with the traits they carry with them through life."

"So you were born with yellow eyes and that crescent on your forehead?"

"Yes. And the pup there carries one on his. It is faint, a dark grey right now, but it will lighten in the next few days." As his pup finished nursing, he swapped babies out, trying to keep Kagome from having to move.

"What happened? I don't remember much."

"Kouga had to perform a C-Section. Your stomach will be sore for a while."

"How long was I asleep?"

"Today is Tuesday. The pup was born at 11:59 Sunday night. The babe was born at 00:01 Monday morning." He pushed an errant strand off of her face. "You have been asleep for over thirty hours." Her stomach growled and he smiled. "And your stomach is telling you as much." He stood and walked to the door, sticking his head out to inform the nurses that their patient was awake and hungry.

Kagome heard the nurse chide him for carrying his son like excess baggage and she smiled when he snapped back that he was more careful with him than she had been earlier. The nurse appeared a few minutes later with a plate of eggs and rice. Kagome exchanged a look with Sesshoumaru and he grabbed the plate, telling the nurse that fish would be better for his wife than eggs. He quickly ate the offending substance while Kagome waited for another tray.

Kouga came in during the meal to check on his patient. He had been making rounds when news of Kagome's return to consciousness reached his ears. After completing his obligations, he had stopped by to kiss his wife and tell her the news. Then he moseyed over to room 17. What he saw surprised him. Sesshoumaru was sitting in the rocking chair, snarfing eggs while Kagome delicately picked at a piece of fish. Startled, Sesshoumaru looked up at the wolf and then back at the fork before stuffing it in his mouth. He saw a slight pink tint color the tips of the dog demon's cheekbones but he did not cease in his meal. As soon as the eggs were gone, he put the fork down and sat back.

"Who is in charge of your food delivery here?" The stoic lord was back in his normal form.

Kouga frowned. "Why?"

"Kagome will have no more eggs brought to her room. And why would they bring me a second tray?"

Kouga smiled. "As quickly as you ate the second one, I can only guess they thought you were starving after seeing you eat the first one."

Sesshoumaru waved his hand over the first tray. The only thing missing on the tray was the scoop of scrambled eggs. "This Sesshoumaru is not particularly hungry."

"Ah, I see. The issue will not occur again." He looked over at Kagome. "Now, I need to examine the patients."

Kagome smiled and pushed away her tray. "Look, Sesshoumaru gave me a puppy!" She picked up one of the boys and held him up.

Kouga looked over at Sesshoumaru who just shook his head slowly. "Uh, Kagome…that puppy is your son." He was scribbling notes about post natal symptoms when she sighed.

"I know Kouga, but I was trying to sound authentic. No one in my world will understand that I gave birth to shape shifting youkai children. Humans will not believe that this beautiful child of mine is not a puppy. Youkai will not believe that a mere human gave birth to full-blooded youkai." She snuggled her son, who made a happy squeaky noise at the contact. "Either way, I lose. So I was going for the third option, which isn't very believable either."

"Ah, I understand." He scratched through the notes about postpartum delusions and put the pad down. "Can I check everything?"

Kagome blushed, but handed her son to Sesshoumaru so Kouga could check everything. When he grunted in satisfaction that she was healing properly, she felt a wave of relief wash over the room. "What was that for?"

"I just can't believe that you're doing so well, considering."

"Considering?"

Kouga looked over and caught the glint in Sesshoumaru's eyes. "Well, you were in really bad shape at the end, we thought we might lose you."

Kagome yawned, sleep suddenly claiming her. "I had a dream that I was back in the well house. It was such a pleasant dream." She reached out for both of her children and Sesshoumaru handed them over. After placing them in each arm, she dozed off, content in her world.

Kouga looked at Sesshoumaru. "Why don't you want her to know?"

"I want her to remember on her own."

"It's that important?"

"Hai."

"Fine. If I promise to keep the eggs out of here, do you think you can find it in your infinitesimally small heart to pick names for these two so that I can finish the paperwork? At Sesshoumaru's nod, he turned and left the room, letting them both enjoy their peace.

ssssssss

When Kagome awoke the next morning, a traditional breakfast was waiting for her. Sesshoumaru and the children were gone, so she ate in peace until their return. When they did walk in the door, a nurse followed with a small cart and took both of the children back out with her.

Sesshoumaru sat down and watched her finish the miso. "We are at a crossroads, mate."

Kagome felt her appetite leave her and turned to look at him. "Yes?"

"We have two small children who do not exist in the eyes of the world because Dr. Ookami has not completed the paperwork."

"Why hasn't he completed the paperwork?" She frowned at her husband.

"Because we have not chosen names." At her shocked look, he glared. "Did you think I would name them without your input?"

"Uh…" She watched his countenance darken before evening out. "I just figured it was your right as the great Taiyoukai of the West."

"I am honored mate, but that is not the way we do things." He sat forward, putting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands. "We discuss and I overrule if I do not agree."

"What's the difference?" At his puzzled look, she blew her bangs away from her face. "Sesshoumaru, I was hoping you would be honored if I asked you to name the pup."

He looked deeply into her eyes. "Honto ka? Honestly?"

Kagome smiled. "Yes. I want you to have the honor of naming him."

He sat and thought for a very long time. Kagome actually took a short nap. Finally, he cleared his throat. "I want our eldest to go by Namiru, which incorporates nami, or wave. As my heir, he needs a powerful name. Since he was born during a typhoon, wave is appropriate." He looked at Kagome, who nodded in agreement.

She thought for considerably less time. "For our second son, I then choose Tairam, which incorporates taira, or flat and level. If we're to have one that makes waves, we need one that calms them down."

Sesshoumaru leaned over and kissed her softly, pleased with her choice. "I will tell the mangy wolf immediately. Maybe you will be able to go home tomorrow."

ssssssss

The next morning, Shippou came by to tell them they needed to stay one more day. When she groaned, he smiled and brought a small box from behind his back. It was labeled "black sesame pocky" and he laughed as she reached out for the box. However, when she grimaced and slowly put her hand down, he felt bad. "I'm sorry Momma."

Kagome smiled at her very grownup adopted son. "It's okay Shippou. So, how's the new girlfriend?"

Shippou's cheeks turned red. "What girlfriend?"

"The one you had a date with last night, cub." Sesshoumaru did not look up from the small tyke in his arms, but stopped rocking long enough to hear the response.

"Kouga!" The nurses down the hall chattered to themselves, having also heard the rumor from Kouga. Abashed, Shippou looked back at Kagome. "It went really well. We're going out again next Friday, unless I get called in on an emergency. Then I guess she'll just drop my ass." Sesshoumaru cleared his throat and Shippou blushed again. "Sorry for the cuss word. I know that they're just babies, but I should behave better." At Sesshoumaru's nod, he continued. "Now, to get down to the business that brought me here…"

"Telling me I can't go home until tomorrow." Kagome grumbled as she reached for the glass of iced green tea on the tray in front of her.

"Nah, that's just because Kouga's being super paranoid after you tried to die on us." He continued before Kagome could question him. "You had two babies eighteen weeks earlier than any regular human. The world is going to have problems with this. So, we need you to come back when it's actually time to have a baby so that it will look normal."

Kagome smiled. "Shippou, I appreciate the concern, but my family knows that I used to travel through time and am married to a full-blooded Youkai. The only one that doesn't know is my ditzy sister-in-law and we can come up with some extremely unbelievable story about how they can't be around anyone because they are preemies. That will give this one," she pointed at the ball of black fur that was chewing on the end of her sheet "a chance to learn that he also has to occasionally appear in human form."

"Oh, okay. I'll have one of the nurses finish filling out your release records so that Kouga can sign them in the morning and except for checkups, you'll be free of this place." He turned to leave but Kagome stopped him.

"Shippou-kun, you will come visit us?"

Shippou looked over at Sesshoumaru and received a small nod. "Yes, I will. Now, I gotta go." He disappeared faster than Sesshoumaru could when avoiding Kagome

Kagome looked over at her husband and smiled. "I'm ready to go home."

He smiled slightly back. "As am I."

**A/N:** Thank you to each of you for reading and for the fabulous reviews last week. I don't know if this is proper, but I'm going to be an 1800's soothsayer. "The end is coming!' There, you've been warned. I hope each of you had a great week last week, or at least a tolerable one. Until next week… - TK


	65. Chapter 65

Chapter 65: Epilogue

_**Disclaimer:**__ InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK_

_--_

When Sesshoumaru came in from work the following Friday, he was startled by what he saw. Kagome was sitting at his desk, in front of the computer. Tairam was sleeping in the bassinet, his white hair flowing over the sides. It looked like he'd been that way for a while. However, Namiru was sitting on the desk and Kagome was poking at his black fur with the soft end of a pencil. He was still in dog form and he would growl and nip at it. While Sesshoumaru watched, Namiru grabbed the pencil in his teeth and ripped it out of her hand. Growling furiously, he whipped it back and forth.

Giggling, Kagome rubbed his fur. "Ru, you can't eat the pencil, mommy needs it. Give it back and I'll play a little more."

Cocking his head to look at her, he dropped the pencil and barked at her, his little puppy bark causing goose bumps to form on Sesshoumaru's skin. Namiru was going to be his heir and it helped to know that he was not shy about voicing his opinions. Although at this age, the barks had no true meaning, Sesshoumaru could tell he was going to grow into both the paws and the attitude. Stepping into the room, he watched as Namiru noticed his entrance and sat down on his haunches.

"What's wrong Ru?" Noticing his attention was behind her, she turned and looked guiltily at her mate. "Hi Sesshoumaru."

He walked over and picked up his son, taking a second to tickle his belly before gently rubbing his ears. Namiru would turn into his human form when he was ready. Until then, they would train the skills emphasized in his inu form. He laid his son over his shoulder and leaned down to kiss his wife gently on the lips. "How was work today?"

She smiled. "Pretty busy. I couldn't keep up with the kids and play with VR, so I worked with pencil and paper today."

"Hnnn." He again picked up his son and checked out the spot where the umbilical cord had been attached. It was healing properly, so he tussled an ear and set him in the basket with a quiet growl telling Namiru not to wake his younger brother up. "So I can see."

"Buyo used to like playing with pencils, so I thought the kids might too. Was I wrong?"

"No, just be careful not to poke him with the point. Their skin is very thin for the first two years." He pulled a chair up and sat beside his wife, looking over her paperwork. "What is this?" He pointed at a line of letters.

"This is a line of genome coding. I'm comparing a mutant gene with a normal gene. If I can find a difference in the pattern, I will start looking at repeats in other cells." She rubbed the bridge of her nose before putting the pencil down and smiling at him. "How was your day?"

"Fine. So these symbols are supposed to be identical?"

"Yes. Why, do you see a difference?" When he held out his hand, she handed him the pencil. He circled three small differences before handing the pencil back. "Wow! You're quick. Want to come work for me?"

"You cannot pay my consulting fees. One of us has to bring in the money so that we can afford to keep the family fed." He stood up and held out a hand.

She growled and took the offered hand. "I work too damn it!"

"Now, now. Watch the language in front of the children." He picked up the bassinet and carried it towards their bedroom. "Do you feel good enough to eat dinner in the dining room?"

Kagome smiled. "Yes. I feel a little tender still, but much better than earlier this week."

"Do not push yourself. You gave birth last week. It was a very difficult delivery and I am not so sure you should be doing so much."

"I was bored!"

He almost smiled at her petulant tone, but he knew he had to be firm in order to keep her from overdoing things and hurting her body. Although she healed extremely fast, she was still a human. "Are you still able to feed the puppies as much as they want?"

Kagome blushed. It was strange enough having given birth to a puppy and a human instead of two humans, but nursing puppies was just odd. Tairam had shape-shifted during the stress of the delivery, feeling more comfortable in his human form. Nursing him was normal, but Namiru exalted in his inu form and refused to transform. Sesshoumaru had repeatedly told her he would change when ready, but it was strange nursing him in puppy form, and his teeth hurt!

At her grimace, Sesshoumaru stopped and put a hand against her cheek. "What is it, mate?"

"I was just thinking how strange my world has become since meeting back up with you."

"And this caused you to grimace?"

She smiled and patted his cheek in return. "No. Something else made me grimace."

"And that would be…"

"Your eldest son has very sharp teeth in his inu form. And since he won't change, he's gnawing me something painful."

He raised an eyebrow. "Show me."

She crossed a free hand over her breasts. "What?"

"I need to see."

"Need or want?"

He sighed. "Take your pick." When she didn't respond, he stopped and turned towards her. "In the room, just the two of us."

"I haven't been cleared by the doctors, letch. Ever since I gave birth, you can't keep your hands off of me, what's the deal?"

Sesshoumaru just shook his head and continued down the hall. "Impertinent woman. I meant nothing untoward in that statement. Come here." He opened the door and ushered her in. Setting the basket on the floor beside the bed, he patted a spot. "Sit here. Let me see what my son is doing in his exuberance."

Kagome blushed and unbuttoned her shirt, popping the latch between the two cups. When his hand gently touched her breast, she shivered but continued to look away. Suddenly, a tongue licked across the very sore nipple and she chuckled while pushing him away. "Stop that, it tickles. Why are you doing this?"

"It will help you heal faster. Sit still and quit pushing me away." He leaned back in.

She giggled and pushed him away. "You're being a pervert. Stop it!"

He sighed and suddenly pushed her back onto the bed. "If I was a pervert, I would do this." Gently he leaned into her, pushing himself into the spot between her legs.

Kagome moaned.

Just as quickly, he moved away and pulled her back into a sitting position. "But I was not being a pervert, I was only trying to help my mate heal. We cannot make Namiru change, and he will continue to chew while feeding. Therefore, it is my duty to keep you healthy so that my stubborn son does not inflict more pain than what is unavoidable."

"Oh." Her face was flaming red. "Carry on then."

"I was actually almost done." He gently buttoned her back up before sitting down beside her on the bed. "I apologize for the pain my stubborn son is inflicting on his angelic mother."

"Our son." She gripped his hand, squeezing tightly.

"Our son." He turned and brushed an errant strand of hair away from her face. "I will only say this once, but I was very worried about you."

"There was a spot in which I was worried about me too." She sighed and leaned against him. "While I was in that place, I dreamt that you found me and held my hand and walked me back to here. Was that a dream?"

"Some of it. I searched for you and brought you back, but the process did not involve holding your hand."

"Why did you come after me? You already had your heirs."

"I did not marry you for heirs."

She straightened and looked him in the eyes. "You didn't?"

"No." He stared back at her, unblinking golden intensity searing into her soul.

"Why then?"

"Because I felt something for you other than resentment and hatred." He watched her blink. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes." She turned and pulled away slightly to look at him in more detail. "It is hard to believe. I have felt that from the first day, you were only putting up with me."

"Then I played my part very well. My feelings for you have never been platonic. They were not platonic when you angered me in the past. They are not platonic when you anger me in the present. They will not be platonic if you anger me in the future. I will always have strong feelings for you."

She chuckled. "Are you telling me you love me?"

"Yes." He suddenly reached out and put his hands around her face, pulling her in for a deep kiss. After they both had completely lost their breaths, he let her go. "I am telling you exactly that."

"Since when?" She put her forehead on his chest. "When did you realize you loved me?"

He thought for less than a second, which was the shortest time he'd ever taken to respond. "I admitted it to myself on the way back to the country after a trip to Houston."

"Which trip?"

"The infamous trip." He playfully glared at her, knowing she still felt bad about the extremely expensive phone bill she'd left him with.

"You knew that long ago? And you're just telling me?" She started bristling and he smiled as his mate geared up for a solid rant.

"No, I first told you when I asked you to marry me, but you did not believe me. I told you again when I went to retrieve you. But you do not remember that conversation."

"Oh."

"Why do you think it was so hard for us to sleep in the same bed?"

"I thought it was because you did not want to touch a lesser being."

Sesshoumaru frowned. "Quite the opposite."

"Are you really that horny of a person?"

He chuckled. "No mate, my reactions are just for you." He stood. "Are you ready for dinner?"

"Are the kids coming with us?"

"Of course."

"And you really love me?"

"Do you really need to ask?" He leaned down to pick up their children then offered his free arm to his wife. As she took his offered arm, he wondered at a fate that would bring a woman into his life, torment him with said woman, remove said woman for five hundred years, than put them together permanently. Thinking he was glad he had left his life open to opportunity, he thanked his lucky stars that he had fallen for the Shikon Miko. She was his perfect match. "Speaking of things that I am just telling you, it is past time for us to complete the bonding process."

"I thought I was already your mate." She turned to him.

"That was the marking, the actual bonding requires a little more."

"And that would be?"

"We have to eat a child." He looked at the bassinet. "It is a good thing you had twins."

"What?" She grabbed the bassinet from him but he started laughing before she could turn and glare.

"This Sesshoumaru only teases with you." He grabbed the carrier back. "Our children are perfectly safe." Looking down into the basket, he smiled. "Kagome, I believe your wish has been answered."

Looking over, she saw two babies lying in the crib. One had white hair and blue eyes while the other had jet hair and yellow eyes. She sighed in relief, but stared in horror as Namiru poked his brother and his brother turned into a silver furred dog and growled back. "No! It's not fair."

Sesshoumaru cocked his head to the side. "Interesting. They already know how to change at will. Now all we have to do is potty train them."

Kagome sighed. "That is SO your job."

"I take that as a challenge and will accept it as a fitting punishment since both of my children are fated to chew on my lovely wife's breasts."

Suddenly she reached forward and touched his face. "It's reciprocated you know."

"What is?" His heart thumped in his chest, afraid of what she would say next.

"I love you too." She looked at him and smiled, a warm glow encompassing her entire body.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and led her into the dining room.

She closed the shoji behind them and prepared herself for the future. Looking at her family, she thanked the kami for the journey.

-The End

**A/N:** Thank you for sticking this out until the end. I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you a thousand times for the wonderful reviews and thank you to everyone who read even if you didn't review. Until later… -TK


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